Dangerous Magic
by markergal
Summary: Kali was everything his father hated. She was a strong willed woman, peasant-born, loyal to anyone but the crown, and a sorceress. Arthur wasn't exactly sure why he let her escape. She was a dangerous sorceress afterall, along with the rest of her family. Maybe it was because deep down he knew that she would mean more to him than another magic user burned at the pyre. Arther/OC
1. Chapter 1

**This takes place in early season 2! No Gwen and Arthur love plot.**

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Her destiny was laid out decades before she was born.

All her choices and who she would become was long decided before she took her first breath. Every little detail of her life was written in a prophecy before she had a heartbeat in her mother's womb. Everything was planned by the will of the world itself. The world was in need of someone like her, so it created her. Simple as that. She wasn't a bizarre mixture of coincidences that happened to align at the correct moment. She was _planned_.

Ancient people revered her despite not actually knowing the woman herself. People painted and told stories to celebrate her; stories that she heard while she was growing up yet never realizing that it was her they spoke of. It gave the people tremendous relief to know that future generations would not endure the war and pain that they went through. The nonbelievers claimed that such a woman would never exist, and soon after the woman was seen as nothing more than a fictional character. The paintings became just paintings and the stories were just stories. Nothing more. They were no longer seen as a beacon of light to a bright future, but instead of small tales to entertain your children when they were bored.

Only one recognized her for who she was. That woman went by many names and had lived many years to see her with her own eyes. That woman took the responsibility of keeping her safe until she was old enough to begin her destiny. Only then when she would leave her side.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Kali tried her best not to smile when she heard the two small children enter her tent. They weren't very sneaky even though the received their charm of swiftness yesterday. The two children covered their mouths to hide their giggles. Just as Madelena was about to poke Kali, she popped up and let out a terrifying roar. The two children immediately screamed back in surprise.

Chelsey tore open the entrance to the tent. She glared at the three with her piercing brown eyes. "What did you do, Kali? Murder them?" She jabbed a finger towards the two children, who weren't older than nine yet she treated them like common criminals. "And you two. Shut up unless you want me to put you in the stocks."

Kali raised an eyebrow. "The stocks? I'm sorry Chelsey, but you aren't in Fraver anymore. Plus, we don't have any stocks to put them into."

She sniffed the air with such poise that only came from a noble. No regular peasant was be able to copy the look of disdain and pride that Chelsey had. "Well, I can still set them in front of the target and let Jordyn throw knives at them. It gets the same point across." The woman glared menacingly at the inhabitants of the tent. "No more screams from any of you, now. You'll attract wild animals." Chelsey turned on her heels and walked back to her lover to practice throwing knives at a carved out target in an old oak tree.

Madelena and Abram smiled when Chelsey left. It was typical for her to blow up at other people like that, so no one felt discouraged because of her reprimand. They jumped to the sides of Kali. At the same time, they lifted their arms to show her the healing wound where their charms were inserted.

"Look, Kali! It's healing!" Madelena exclaimed. Her black curls bounced up and down to match her excitement.

Abram practically shoved his arm in Kali's face so that she can get a better look at the symbol. "Mom said in just a couple of days that it will look like the charm all you have!" He glanced down at the small charm on Kali's arm that is in the exact place at the children's were.

Kali hugged the twins. She showed them the rows of charms imbedded into the skin of her arms. Each one meant something different, such as luck or wisdom. By the time they reach twelve years old, the children would have half as many charms Kali has. "Soon you guys will have all these. Just you wait." Kali proudly told them.

Abram jabbed Kali in the side, a little harder than he meant to. He was getting stronger. "Ratka wanted to see you." His eyes lit up with wonder. "She has been scrying again. She said that it was _very _important and that you should go to her right away."

Madelena nodded. "And when Ratka says to do something, you do it."

Kali ushered the two off of her and out of the tent. "Tell Ratka that I will be out in a minute." The minute she closed the flap of the tent, she heard the two children yelling the news to Ratka like two wild banshees. Those children had so much energy to spare that they could run around from sunrise to sunset without needing to catch their breath.

She organized her tents with her extra cloaks on the left and blankets on the right. Kali exited the tent right as an arrow flew towards her neck. Her instincts took over. The woman's eyes flashed from her usual brown to bright gold. Luckily for her, the arrow stopped a mere inch from her neck. She looked up in surprise to see Christiane smirking triumphantly. Kali tried to smile back but her heart is beating too fast for her to do anything but breathe. With her magic she made the arrow fly right back at the shooter with as much speed as a bow would have. Christiane casually halted its movement with a flick of her hand.

"Next time, be faster. You let that arrow get way to close to you before you stopped it." Christiane told her. Kali just nodded, knowing that it would be useless to argue with her. She could say that she just woke up and her reflexes are slow or that she just wasn't expecting to be attacked out of the middle of nowhere, but Christiane would just tell her that those were lazy excuses.

Kali passed the dark-green colored tents until she reached only dark red tent which was much larger than the rest. It smelt strongly of smoke masked with incense. In the entrance Ratka hung multicolored beads, each with an odd symbol painted on it. In the center of the tent was a fire pit that was only used on cold nights. Many nights have been spent huddled in this tent as a snow storm raged outside. At the top was a vent to let smoke out. But other than that, the tent was bare-looking.

"Kali, please come in." An elderly voice croaked. Kali entered the tent to see Ratka huddled over a metal bowl filled to the brim with water. She mumbled several incoherent things under her breath, but Kali couldn't tell if it was a spell or a side-effect of Ratka's constant scrying. Seeing into the future many times caused all to go insane, with varying severities. Luckily for Ratka, she only suffered from random, un-connected words escaping her mouth or the occasional hallucinations. Others suffered much worse. Though, Ratka said that the reason for her mild side-effects from years of scrying was because she was already insane when she started to practice sorcery.

"Give me your hand." She commanded. Kali set her young hand in the older one. Ratka took a silver knife and pricked the end of Kali's finger. The drops of blood fell into the pool of water. Ratka mutters under her breath and leaned over the bowl of water for the inevitable vision. It swept on her like a small wave. She saw that it was near. Very near. If her bones weren't as frail and stiff as they were, Ratka would've danced for joy.

"What do you see?" Kali breathed out. Her eyes grew with curiosity. She reached her hand forward to touch the metal bowl also. Ratka smacked her hand away.

"Hush, child. It is not for you to know." Ratka patronized. She continued to dive further into the future until she saw everything she needed to know. Her time was almost up and another era was about to being. Ratka couldn't destroy everything by showing Kali the future too soon.

Kali sat down on the ground. She picked up a crystal that Ratka always kept by her bed. For years she had watched Ratka gaze into the crystal and see the future as clear as day. But when she looked into the crystal, all she saw was her own reflection.

Ratka groaned as she sank into the ground beside the young sorceress. She stared at Kali as she tried to force the crystal into showing her the future. The elderly woman covered Kali's hand with her own to help her see what she was always denied. "You force it. The future does not follow anyone's commands." Ratka told her wisely.

Kali sucked a deep breath. She tried her best to not force the future to come to her right then, but she couldn't help it. The not knowing and waiting irritated her. Even with Ratka's help, Kali wasn't able to see a vision. It was also the fact of losing all control that made it difficult for Kali to completely fall into the future.

"See? The future hates me!" Kali whined.

Ratka laughed. She brushed back a stray brown strand that escaped the tight braid on Kali's head. The elderly woman placed a hand under her chin so that Kali has to look at her. "The future doesn't hate you, my child. In fact, you seem to have a very good one."

"I just wish that I could see it." She groaned.

Ratka laughed again. "In time you will. That I promise." She stood back up on her rickety legs. She held out her hand to Kali who willingly takes it. "Come. There is an announcement I must make as I just needed your blood."

As Ratka led Kali out of the tent, she sneaked one last glance at the crystal. Kali swore she saw a flash of blonde hair and a red cloak.

Ratka gathered the entire Solargarde to the center of the camp. Everyone, including Madelena and Abram, were there. All of them patiently waited for what Ratka wanted to say to the sect. Kali sat next to Margie who was making butterflies of light materialize out of mid-air to entertain the children, and it was working. Madelena and Abram were enchanted with the butterflies even though they could've easily created them themselves. As Nizana would describe them, the children were easy to please.

"We are running low on food." Ratka announced solemnly. The children were too thin and Eva already suffered two fainting spells in the past week. "With the amount of money we were able to earn, three should go into town and buy food. Perhaps later in the week we will send several out for a hunt."

Oriold frowned deeply, causing the lines on her worn face to grow darker. "But the nearest city is Camelot, and half of us can't go there. We will be burned at the stake if we return."

Ratka nodded understandably. "That is why I believe that it would be best for Nizana, Kali, and Sarah to go into Camelot. They have never been there nor officially accused of sorcery. I have seen the future. This winter will be one of the worst there has been. It is also be best for us to temporarily join forces with the Druids until the spring."

Several groaned in disappointment. Both the Solargarde and Druids were two sects of magic users, but there was a clear difference between them. The Druids were a passive and peaceful group of people. The Solargarde, however, was always the most militant of the Five Sects. They were involved in many of the past wars, whether the two sides knew it or not. While the Druids would prefer to run from threats and make sure no lives were lost, the Solargarde preferred to fight and defend their sisters to the end. The only similarities between the two were that their members used magic, they were the only two surviving sects from the original five, and they were both slowly dying off.

Ratka held up her hands for silence. "The Druids are our magical brothers and sisters. They will aid us with food and knowledge of the area while we will aid them with defense. Two people will leave and look for their camp. They never are too far from Camelot."

Livia and Brandi volunteered.

Sarah rushed to Ratka's tent to grab a pouch of coins that they have worked tirelessly to earn. They hoped to have enough money to buy the children some chocolate or maybe some clothes for the upcoming winter, but that was being optimistic. After months of saving up, they only had enough money for a couple loaves of bread and meat at the best. All of the women knew that that wasn't going to be enough.

"What if we can't find the druids?" Jordyn asked. Chelsey grabbed her hand at the sound of worry in her voice.

Ratka folded her hands in front of her. "Then we move on until we find food. I will continue to scry for the guard activity in the area." She glanced down the line of women. Many years ago there were well more than forty women in the Solargarde. Now there were only twelve women, if you counted Eva who had just reached the age of initiation. All of these women were terrified for not for their own safety, but for the safety of their fellow Solargarde sisters. "Do not worry. If it comes to it, we will head for the Isle of the Blessed to seek out the help of the High Priestess."

Christiane's eyes grew wide. "But, there are no more High Priestess of the Old Religion, Ratka."

The elderly woman shook her head. Her eyes turned glassy with memories. "A new High Priestess has risen. I have seen it so. But I see no problems ahead of us at the moment. Sarah, Kali, Nizana, bring back food that will be able to last. The gods surely know that we will need it."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Before they left, the trio were careful to hide the charms on their arms with layers of fabric as they were the trademark sign of a sister of the Solargarde. Lastly Nizana said goodbye to her children, Madelena and Abram, and the three left for the several mile walk to Camelot. They talked about meaningless things like a hole in their breeches that needed mending or the rain last night to hide how nervous they truly were. King Uther was known to show no mercy to any that possessed magical abilities. Any sign that a person was magical meant that they were executed as soon as possible. None of them wanted to be executed, so they made a silent pact to not use magic for anything within the borders of Camelot. It was safer that way.

The tall walls of Camelot came into their vision after what seemed like hours of walking. They strolled through a heavily guarded gate. Not soon after, they found themselves in the bustling market. Vendors lined the streets selling goods such as flowers or fresh bread. It was nothing like the three had ever seen. All three of them grew up in small villages where the market consisted of one man selling vegetables out of the back of a wagon. During their travels with the Solargarde, they experienced bigger cities than they ever imagined. But none of the cities compared to Camelot.

Nizana smiled at a vendor who was selling fresh bread. "We should get a couple of loaves of bread. Ratka and the others will be overjoyed to have non-stale bread for once."

Sarah strolled over to the vendor and bought several loaves of bread. When she came back, they realized that they spent almost half of the money just on the two loaves despite Sarah's heavy bargaining.

"Maybe we can get some salted meats. That will definitely last us and it's relatively cheap." Kali suggested.

The three began their quest to find a butcher to feed their family. It was a lot harder than they originally thought because of how crowded the streets were. There were close to zero signs that told the people what was sold, but that was expected considering that a majority of peasants were illiterate. Finally they found a butcher and bought as much meat as they could with the money they had. The empty pouch felt too light. All their savings were spent in less than an hour.

Nizana glared at the busy street then pointed down a less crowded one. "There's a short-cut. It's be easier than trying to get through this crowd. Who knew that there were this many people in Camelot?"

Kali snorted. "I surely didn't. I didn't think that this many people could live in the same place without it bursting."

Sarah led the way down the eerily empty street. She stopped suddenly. Her dark eyes scan the even darker shadows of the alley. Sarah could've sworn that she saw someone move and the familiar glint of a knife.

Kali placed a hand on her shoulder, causing the young sorceress to jump. "What's wrong, Sarah?" She asked quietly.

Sarah didn't need to answer because right as the words left her mouth, a man popped out of the shadows. He twirled a sharp knife in his hand. He was missing several teeth and his clothes were torn. There were many cuts on his arms from the street fight that he got in just days ago over a couple of coins. This man was desperate for money. And if he had to cut a few women to eat, then he was willing to do it.

He gave them a toothy grin. "Hand me over all the money ya' got and there won't be any trouble."

The women reached for their knives hidden in their bodices. Nizana straightened her back. "We'll scream if you try anything." Her eyes blazed with a maternal instinct to protect the two girls.

The man chuckled, but it sounded hoarse and cracky. "Won't matter. Nobody can hear ya. Now just hand it over and I'll leave you women alone." He held up the knife in his hand to show them his leverage over what he assumed as unarmed women. Little did he know that they possessed a weapon much more powerful than a simple dagger.

"Get away from us." Kali threatened. Her hands twitched to show him what a true knife looked like.

He frowned. With a swift movement, he brought his knife against Sarah's neck. "Maybe ya' just need an incentive." He mutters.

A deep instinct to protect her nonbiological family took over Kali. She didn't even get a chance to truly think about it. She just reacted. Her eyes flashed a bright gold and the man cried out in pain. His head was in the middle of a mental stampede. He grabbed at his skull to make the pounding stop. Nizana and Sarah broke Kali out of her magic-induced trance by dragging her away from the man. The minute her concentration was dropped, they could hear the man screams of pain transform into cries of sorcery

The three ran down the streets as fast as they could, completely forgetting about the bread and meat they dropped when they were attacked. They made sure to stay away from the streets where the guards were, but they were slowly being trapped. Camelot had a lot of experience with finding sorcerers, whether they truly had magic or not. The guards and people worked like a well oiled machine. People headed to their homes and stayed until the guards questioned them or a few hours passed by. The guards patrolled the streets and looked for anyone suspicious until the sorcerer was found. It was only a matter of time before a guard noticed that they were out of place.

They leaned against a wall to catch their breath, but they didn't rest for long. The footsteps of the guards were becoming louder and louder.

"Stop!" A man yelled. This only made the trio run faster, confirming the suspicions of the guards.

A group of men appeared on the opposite end of the street, effectively trapping the three for their imminent arrest.

Kali grabbed the hands of the two women. "I'm so sorry." She whispered. Her heart wrenched with agony. They would be executed because she couldn't think something through properly. She exposed their magic and condemned them all to a painful death.

Nizana and Sarah shook their heads. Sarah tried her best to give Kali a reassuring smile. "I would've done the same thing. I probably would've killed him if it meant protecting my Solargarde sisters."

They three hugged each other as the guards closed in, knowing that each one of them would've killed that man without batting an eye. Their loyalty for the Solargarde was incredibly intense. Even as the guards dragged each of them towards the castle, they all knew that if they were to die, it would be as a loyal member of the Solargarde, and they didn't regret that for a second.

They would happily burn on the stake for their fellow Solargarde sisters.

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**Thanks for reading! I will get the next chapter up as soon as I can. Don't forget to review/favorite/follow! I promise that this story will get very interesting very fast.**


	2. Chapter 2: Escape

**Thank you for the reviews!**

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The king stared at them with a cold expression that chilled the three sorceresses down to the bone. He glared at them with such hatred that the courtiers could nearly feel it in the air. He had a smug aura around him too that radiated through his stiff back and raised chin. Uther was a powerful king, and he made sure that everyone in his presence knew that. Beside him sat the Lady Morgana, who had an emotionless, but kinder, face. Her back stayed straight and her chin held high with confidence, much like Uther. She was everything that Kali imagined a noblewoman to be. To the left of King Uther was his son, Arthur, and the next in line for the throne.

"Sorcery is something that I have worked hard to keep out of Camelot." Uther said. His voice boomed violently around the large room, commanding everyone's attention. "To find three sorceresses so close to my castle is absolutely insulting. In the morning you shall be burned at the stake." His lips curled in disgust.

Morgana leaned forward in her chair. "They haven't even had a fair trial. Uther, please. You didn't even ask them what happened. Perhaps there is a rational explanation."

Uther narrowed his eyes. "They're sorceresses. What more do I need? They attacked one of our loyal citizens. Surely they would've came after the throne of Camelot soon after."

Kali bit her tongue to keep herself from blurting out that a man threatened their lives. They simply defended themselves, but Uther would never see it as an act of defense. All he saw was the horror magic. All magic was evil to Uther. Even if it was used to save someone's life.

"Just listen to their stories. It's only fair for you to hear them out." Morgana begged.

Uther scowled at his ward. "I will not be ordered around in my own court."

"I'm not ordering you." Morgana retorted. "I'm simply requesting that you listen to the full story."

Uther sighed irritably. "Very well. What is your story, sorceresses?"

Nizana stepped forward. The guards watched her every movement carefully with their hands on their swords. The sorceress bowed down before the king. Being polite was the women's only plan, even if it meant bowing to a man who claimed to rule the land. "Sire, there was a man with a knife. We were simply defending ourselves."

Uther flicked his wrist dismissively. "I have heard you and I have made my decision with no bias. My decision is based on the law only. They shall be punished for the crime of sorcery. The punishment for that crime is death."

Morgana pursed her lips in distaste but dropped the subject. She desperately wanted to defend the women and say that they only used magic to stop a bad man, but she couldn't. Arguing with Uther would just make him angry. It would be easier for her to break the three sorceresses out after he had several goblets of wine, and he only drinks when he is in a good mood.

"You can't do this to us." Sarah said. She clenched her fists in irritation. "_They_ won't allow it."

He raised an eyebrow at her sudden outburst. "Who won't allow it?"

The sorceresses stood proudly before the temperamental king. "The Solargarde." Kali answered. Uther's face flashed with disbelief. "If you do not believe us, then look at the charms on our arms. Our sisters will not let us burn. It would be better if you just let us free." Kali was confident that if anything happened to them, the Solargarde wouldn't stop until Uther was dead himself. And honestly, Kali was fine with that. She didn't care much for Uther or his kingdom.

Uther contemplated throwing the women in the cells without finding out for sure if they were in the Solargarde. But if they were... then their executed would no doubt lead the Solargarde to retaliate with brutal force like they did after the Purge. He knew of their history and their power. Uther did not take himself for a fool. He had to make sure if these women were who they said they were.

"Gaius." He said. The court physician's back straightened. "Check for any marks on their arms."

Gaius nodded. He hastily examined the women's arms. Some of the charms imbedded in their arms he had never seen before. They were definitely the marks of the women of the Solargarde, that Gaius knew for sure.

"They have a variety of charms in their arms, sire." Gaius reported to the king. "I do believe that they are who they say they are."

Uther thought for several moments. There were a variety of choices that he could make, but he didn't make the right one. His paranoia and hatred of magic clouded his judgement, thus having him make a decision on impulse. "Their executions will happen tonight, then. Start working on a stake to burn them on immediately." Uther ordered.

The three and Gaius were all shocked at his words. They thought that the king would be wiser than this.

Gaius took a step forward. "But, sire. They are a part of-"

The king held up his hand. "All the more reason to execute these sorceresses. If we show the slightest amount of mercy to magic-users, all will expect the same treatment. The Solargarde is not as strong as it was before the Great Purge. Surely we will be able to hold off several sorceresses, like we have done many times. We have the best knights in all the five kingdoms, after all."

Kali shook her head in pity as the guards dragged her away. "If we burn, you will soon follow _King Uther_." She called over her shoulder right as the doors to the throne room slammed behind her.

Uther just made the biggest mistake of his life.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Kali stared out of the small window in her cell. Workers were piling piles of wood right in the courtyard. Kali shuddered at the thought. Not at the fact that she will burn, she wasn't afraid of death afterall, but that her friends would burn as well. Nizana had two children that she needed to get back to. Sarah was only a couple of years younger than her, but she had experienced so much tragedy that Sarah deserved to die of old age in her sleep. If Kali could, she would go back in time and claim that she was the only sorceress responsible.

To take her mind off of her horrible thoughts, she took note of all the movements of the guards. The guards came in to check on the prisoners every twenty minutes. They then sat at the exit of the jail until it was time to check on the prisoners again. It was clockwork. If they were to be executed in the morning, Kali would've made plans to escape that night when the guards were tired or between shifts. But that was not the case. They only had a matter of hours before the king would burn them, so she had to act fast.

But Kali didn't know how.

While the women ran through their mind of possible routes of escape, one women was already enacting her plan. Morgana sauntered past the guards with a great feeling of satisfaction. In about an hour the guards would fall asleep from the sleeping draught she poured into their wine. The noblewomen would have no hope of falling asleep that night, but it was worth it. She hoped that was enough so that the three sorceresses could make their escape. Ever since she found out about her own magic, Morgana had made an effort to help magic-users escape execution. Knowing that they were only defending themselves from danger completely convinced Morgana that they need her help.

Kali, Nizana, and Sarah were startled to see Lady Morgana walking towards their cell. Neither of them knew how they should address the noblewoman, or if they should at all.

"Lady Morgana? What..." Kali started.

Morgana waved her hand to silence her. She leaned forwards in case anyone was eavesdropping. If someone heard the words she would speak, Morgana would be hanged. The king's ward or not. "Uther was wrong to think of executing you. I've drugged the guards. In about an hour they will be unconscious and you can make your escape."

Their mouths fell open shock.

"My lady, why are you helping us?" Nizana asked. She wrapped her hands around the rusty, iron bars.

Morgana took Nizana's hands in her own. "Because I don't want to see my own suffer."

Kali took an instinctive step back. "You have magic?" Morgana nodded solemnly. Kali felt sorry for the woman who was so close to death herself. One wrong move and Uther would have her executed like so many that have come before her.

Sarah smiled, despite the terrible circumstances. "Come with us, then. The Solargarde will take care of you. You will be free to use your magic whenever you want."

Morgana faltered but then shook her head. "When you escape, maybe Uther will let you leave peacefully. But if he thinks that you took me with you, then he'd never stop hunting you down. It's too dangerous. I can't."

"Maybe one day you can." Sarah said. "The Solargarde is safe for you and we need more sorceresses. Our numbers are terribly low." Nizana and Kali nodded in agreement.

Kali leaned against the bars. Her eyes flickered towards the end of the hallway. "You should leave. The guards might get suspicious if you stay too long."

The noblewoman nodded. "Perhaps one day I will see you all again." She turned to leave, but paused. "Good luck."

0o0o0o0o0o0

It seemed like forever since Morgana visited the women in the cell. Kali counted the minutes exactly. And when the guards didn't come to check on them, she knew that they were unconscious like Morgana said they would be. The situation reminded Kali of when she was locked in the cellar by her aunt. Kali used her magic, which was very erratic and untrained back then, to escape the dark cellar. If there was one thing she learned from that experience it was that once they got out of the cell, they wouldn't be home-free.

Kali traced her hand on the lock of the door. "_Oncluce þe_." Her eyes flashed a bright gold. The cell door clicked open.

The three carefully treaded out of the cell. They reached towards a charm on their arms that was one of the first charms that they received. The charm muffled their steps and smoothed their movements when activated, making it easier to sneak around. "_Macion_." They muttered in unison. The charms on their arms glowed a dull yello, like their eyes. Their footsteps became quieter and they were one with their surroundings. The shadows bent around them like the cloaks they wore.

When they passed the guards, they saw that the men were definitely asleep. Morgana spoke the truth about drugging them. They prayed the guards would stay unconscious for as long as it took for them to escape. It wouldn't be good for an alarm bell to be sounded while they were trapped in the maze of the castle. None of them were familiar with Camelot or the surrounding area.

Occasionally they passed by a large window that overlooked a forest. Kali wanted nothing more than to grow wings and fly towards the safe haven that was the woods. They were so close, yet so far.

They stopped suddenly when they heard muffled voices coming from an open door. Kali recognized one of the voices as the physician from earlier. Nizana pulled Kali and Sarah around a dark corner at the last moment.

"Gaius, what do you know about the Solargarde?" An unfamiliar voice said.

Kali heard the old man sigh. "They are... or were a very powerful group. The Solargarde is one of the Five Sects which were essentially five, very influential magical groups. The Druids are one of the five sects, for instance."

"How come I never heard about them?"

"Before the Great Purge, the Solargarde was by far the most powerful of the Five Sects. Uther targeted them more than the other sects. Many of their members were murdered or just disappeared. Now there couldn't be more than a couple dozen. But nevertheless, I fear for Uther's life if he has angered them. We should all be on our guard if he goes through with the execution."

Kali knew that the longer they stood and eavesdropped on the two, the more likely there would be that someone would find them. After a quick tap on her Solargarde sisters' arms, Nizana, Sarah, and Kali moved on to another hallway. They stayed away from corridors where they heard voices and kept to dimly lit ones. Finally the reached the courtyard, but not before feeling like the walked the entire length of the castle twice.

Nizana smiled gleefully. The relief shined on all of their faces. "We're finally free."

Kali shook her head. "Not yet. You can say that when we get out of this city."

"Stop in the name of Camelot." A strong voice yelled out. Kali, Nizana, and Sarah stiffened. A spell sat at the tip of their tongues, ready to shout it out if this person meant harm. Arthur stepped into the light. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the three women. Other than that, he didn't recognize the three. "It's past curfew."

Nizana bowed her head. "We're sorry, Prince Arthur. We didn't realize how late it had become." She lied through her teeth. "We are heading back home now."

Arthur glanced behind him at the dim streets of Camelot. The dark shadows held all sorts of dangers like cutthroats or sorcerers. He couldn't possibly let these women walk through the streets alone at this time. As Prince of Camelot and heir to the throne, it was his duty to ensure the safety of his citizens. Even if it was something as simple as walking people to their homes.

"I'll walk you. It will be safer that way." Arthur said.

Kali shook her head wildly. "That is not necessary, your highness. We can take care of ourselves, but thank you for offering."

"No, no. I insist. I was going to start my rounds anyways, so it's no trouble." Arthur said. The three women reluctantly followed the prince out of the courtyard. Kali's eyes flickered to his sword. Arthur's talent with the blade was legendary. The sorceress only hoped that he wouldn't use it against them. "I'm sure you have heard of the sorceresses found within the city walls." He said in an effort to make conversation.

"We did. It's just horrible." Sarah said, trying her best to hide any sarcasm.

Arthur nodded. "My father and I are doing everything possible to keep our streets as safe as possible, I can assure you that."

Kali raised an eyebrow. "If they're so safe, then why are you walking us home?"

The prince glanced at her. "You can never be too careful." He said slowly. "Where did you say that you lived again?"

Nizana pointed towards an unfamiliar street. "Oh, just down there a ways. We can walk ourselves the rest of the way. Again, thank you, Prince Arthur."

Arthur was reluctant to let the women out of his sight, for more reasons than one. The first one was obvious. He wanted to ensure the safety of all the citizens of Camelot. Especially after the magic incident from that afternoon. But the second one was that they seemed very familiar, he just couldn't put his finger on it. Merlin always told Arthur how oblivious he was to what when on around him, but he never took it to heart. Merlin was not the brightest servant, after all, so why should a prince listen to him? While Merlin wasn't the smartest servant in Camelot, he did _sometimes_ bring up good points.

Suddenly the warnings bell went off across Camelot, signaling that prisoners escaped from the cells. Then it clicked in the prince's mind. He remembered seeing these three women in the throne room being charged with sorcery. They escaped and they were standing only standing only several feet away from him. The heir to the throne mentally chastised himself for not seeing it before

Nizana, Sarah, and Kali sprinted away when the bells sounded, but Kali wasn't as quick. Arthur grabbed her arm before she could get too far. Nizana and Sarah had already turned the corner, otherwise they would've cursed Arthur with something so vile that people wouldn't be able to look at him every again just because he dared to touch Kali.

Kali stared at the prince with wide, fearful eyes. She glanced at the sword still in his sheath then back at his face. He looked furious. "Please." She begged. "Please, just let me go." In the back of her mind she knew that it would be so easy to kill him with a quick spell, but she had some mercy. People often said that Arthur was a righteous man. If that was true then she had no right to take his life.

Arthur stared at the sorceress with eyes as wide as hers. He felt a strange pang of guilt for even thinking about dragging her back to his father. Little did he know that Kali was using all her willpower to keep herself from flinging him back like a rag doll.

The prince removed his hand from her arm. Kali didn't waste a second to rejoin her sisters, who were backtracking to find her. He watched her disappear behind the corner to join the other two sorceresses.

Arthur didn't know why he let the sorceress go. It went against everything he and his father believed in. Maybe it was how she reminded him of a small, scared fawn with her big brown eyes. Or maybe because deep down, he knew that this woman would mean more to him than just another magic-user burned at the stake. But the reason he gave himself was that she looked too innocent to be a magic-user. He told himself that perhaps his father made a mistake and was going to execute an innocent girl and he just saved her life by letting her go. Yes, that was the reason Arthur was going with. If anyone found out and asked him about it, he would tell them that she was innocent all along.

His only regret was not finding out her name.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Their sides ached and their lungs felt like they were going to burst. For what seemed like hours, the three had put as much distance between Camelot and themselves. They wished that they were able to run back to camp, but that would lead a trail back to the others and put them in danger. In a couple of days time, when things died down, they would return. Perhaps tonight they could send a message, but for now all they could do was run.

"We... should... stop... please..." Sarah gasped. The other two women happily complied.

Kali frowned at the obvious trail they left. Any child with a brain could track them. She didn't want to think how easily trained men with sharp swords would be able to find them. With these thoughts in her mind, she tried to make their path disappear with her magic. Their footsteps dissolved into the dirt and broken sticks mended themselves. It was tiring work. The three women could not keep going like this.

Nizana leaned against a fallen tree. Kali sat next to her. Sarah was doing her best to catch her breath, but she never could run very far or fast. Her lungs always gave out.

"Are you alright, Sarah?" Nizana asked. The middle-aged woman was struggling to catch her breath as well.

Sarah nodded. "I'll... be fine... Just want to rest... for a couple... of minutes."

Kali looked at Sarah with weary eyes. "We should slow down."

"No!" Sarah exclaimed. Her cheeks reddened to the shade of a rose. "Do not slow down for me. I will be fine.

"Please, Sarah. You look like Eva before one of her fainting spells." Nizana said.

The young sorceress sat down next to Kali. Kali wrapped the girl in a comforting hug. "I'm fine." Sarah said. "I can handle it; but maybe it wouldn't hurt to slow down a little."

Nizana peered out into the distance, searching for any signs of movement. They had a large head-start against the guards, but they still weren't far enough to be comfortable.

"We should begin again. In the morning we can contact Ratka if she hasn't already seen what happened to us in her crystal."

The two other women nodded. As much as they hated to run through the woods again, they knew it was necessary. If Uther caught them again, he would never let them get away so easily another time. They doubted that they would be able to escape a second time. Even sorceresses have their limits.


	3. Chapter 3: Revenge

That night Kali didn't get any sleep. Instead she watched over the three as sleep overcame them. They were all tired from their run and were finally far enough from Camelot to rest peacefully. Kali was unable to sleep because she was too worried about how everyone else at camp were reacting when they didn't come back. She imagined Abram and Madelena crying for their mother and Ratka scrying desperately for any sign of them. She also imagined Livia demanding that they storm Camelot until they find them and Eva choking back tears. It pained her to think that any one of her Solargarde sisters were worried for them.

She was so worried that it made her sick to her stomach. Kali wished there was a spell to calm down disgusting churn in the pit of her belly.

Sarah was the first to wake up. She rubbed her eyes. Her black, frizzy hair was crazier than usual. Small twigs and leaves embedded themselves between the strands. "Kali, did you get any sleep? You look exhausted." She said with a groggy voice.

Kali shook her head. "I was keeping watch."

Sarah frowned. Her dark brown eyes clouded with worry. "You could've woken one of us up. I wouldn't have minded keeping watch for a while."

Kali sighed. "Even if I did, I don't think I could have fallen asleep."

"Worried about the others?" Sarah guessed. Kali nodded.

Sarah stood up. She stretched her hand out to Kali who took it. "Let's get some firewood so that we can contact Ratka. Since neither of us will be sleeping, we might as well make ourselves useful."

0o0o0o0o0o0

_"Forbearnan firgenholt." _The pile of wood burst into warm flames. Nizana woke up a half hour ago and joined them in their search for fire wood. Together they managed to gather enough sticks to last a night, but they only needed a few minutes.

The three sat side by side in front of the fire. They tightly gripped each other's hands, connecting their magic together. The magic flowed between the three to form one power. The air hummed with energy. Birds stopped chirping and the bugs stopped making noises. For a moment the wind stopped.

"_Ic eowan se wif._" They chanted together. Flames danced in the fire to show an unclear scene. "_Ic eowan se wif._" They repeated louder than before. The image in the flames slowly shaped the contours of Ratka's wearing face.

The woman in the flames smiled. "_Andswarian ic." _Ratka said. A gust of wind burst by, blowing back Nizana, Kali, and Sarah's hair. The fire died except for an outline of Ratka's body. The soft embers gave the old woman a maternal glow. "You're safe." She stated rather than asked. Of course Ratka would know. No doubt she saw it in her crystals._  
_

Nizana nodded. "How are the others?"

"They are worried but fine. Madelena and Abram are anxious for you to return."

Nizana sighed in relief that her children were safe. The worry lines on her face washed away.

"Do you know what happened?" Kali asked. Ratka nodded. The three women were not surprised. But somewhere in the back of her mind, Kali had a feeling that Ratka knew this would happen when she sent them to Camelot. Ratka was a secretive woman but always had good intentions. So if that was the case, Kali knew that Ratka must have had a good reason behind it. A mother doesn't willingly send her children into a hungry bear's cave.

"Did you tell the others?" Kali questioned curiously.

Ratka paused. "I could not keep this from them. They would have stormed into Camelot to get you back if I hadn't seen a vision of you three escaping."

Sarah placed a hand over her heart. "Thank goodness. Who knows what they would've done if that happened."

Ratka chuckled. "Oh, I know. It would've been terribly disastrous for Uther." The old woman smiled at the three through the flames. "Everyone is eager for your return. You should return before sunset, otherwise they will riot."

Kali's eyebrows came together in confusion. "But then we might make a trail and lead the guards to you. We can't risk that. You all matter so much to us."

Ratka laughed mischievously. "Oh, don't worry. Your sisters have something planned so that you may return safely. Uther will never think to mess with the Solargarde again."

Kali, Sarah, and Nizana shared a concerned look. Whatever the Solargarde has planned, they know that Uther would not be very happy.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Eva gripped Oriold's hand tightly as they passed by the two guards. She was terrified that they knew that the two were sorceresses and would arrest them as they did with Kali, Sarah, and Nizana.

Oriold grinned at Eva. Her eyes crinkled and her wrinkled face seemed to fold on itself. But despite that, it was a nice, reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Eva. You are brave. It's these guards who should be afraid of you." She mused.

Eva managed a small smile. The words helped calm her down. "Do you miss Camelot?" She asked in an effort to keep her mind off of the guards.

The woman thought for several moments. "Yes and no. I miss the balls and parties. I even miss those boring diplomatic meetings that I had to attend with my husband. He was the Duke after all. I miss what Camelot was before the Purge. But I most certainly do not miss what Camelot is now."

The girl looked around her in wonder. The streets breathed with energy while the castle stood above it as a silent guard. It was nice, and if she could, Eva would move here. She knew that her parents would've loved to see Camelot. They never left their small village until the day they died. Her mother always spoke of leaving their small village and doing something with their lives other than plant crops, but they never had enough money.

"I wish I could've seen it back then." Eva said.

The smile on Oriold's face dropped slightly. "I wish you could've too, Eva." She pulled the girl into an alley by the entrance of the castle. "Now, are you ready?"

Eva shook her head. Her heart was going to jump out of her chest because of how fast it was beating. "No. I'm afraid." She confessed.

An idea popped into Oriold's mind. She rolled up the sleeve to her dress and touched a small charm. "_Macion._" The woman's eyes sparked a deep yellow, and the charm glowed the same color. Oriold rolled up the sleeve on Eva's dress and touched the same spot where Oriold' charm was on her arm. "_Gedælan hwætscipe æt se mægden._" The charm disappeared on Oriold's arm and reappeared on Eva's. Eva was so entranced with the magic that she forgot all about her fear. Oriold smiled. "There. Now you have my bravery."

Eva's grey eyes grew enormous. "Thank you, Oriold!" She pounced on the woman to give her a huge hug. "I promise that I'll give it back."

Oriold laughed. "No, you can keep it until it fades."

"But that could be days! What if you need it?"

Oriold pulled away from Eva. "You need it more. Now, go and reclaim the Solargarde's honor."

Eva hugged Oriold one more time then skipped towards the castle to start the first part of the plan. The castle was even more daunting up close, but she felt brave. Nothing could stop her now. Not even the guards that she was scared of only moments ago.

A guard stepped in front of her before she could go into the gates. He leaned down so that the two were face to face. "Where are your parents? Are lost?" He looked at her clothes. "Or are you one of the filthy orphans that run around here like rats?"

Eva twirled her blonde hair around her fingers. Just as Livia told her to. "I need to talk to the king." She said firmly.

The guard laughed. "You do? Not anyone can just speak with the king when they want. Perhaps if your family were noble..."

She placed her hands on her hips. "I want to speak to the king. Now." She pursed her lips. "I've seen sorcery."

The guard stopped mocking her and became quickly serious at the 's' word. If the young girl truly saw sorcery, then the king would want to talk to her. He wouldn't care if she didn't look to a day over thirteen or that she didn't have a drop of noble blood in her veins. He nodded and guided Eva towards the castle. A lesser guardsman ran ahead to alert King Uther. He led her through many corridors until they reached the throne room.

The guard left Eva in the room so that he could guard the door. For a second Eva felt afraid to be in the room with the man who executed so many people like her, but then she remembered the bravery that Oriold gave her. She was Eva, a member of the Solargarde. There was no reason to be afraid.

Uther ushered her forward. "You may approach."

Eva nearly tripped on her dress as she rushed forward. She was about to speak when she realized that she hadn't bowed yet. She curtsied so awkwardly that Morgana and Arthur did they best to hide their laughs. They thought that she was adorable. Uther, however, was not amused but he also wasn't angry with her clumsiness. He was more concerned about what she saw than how she fumbled about his throne room.

"Tell me what you saw, child." Uther commanded, growing more impatient by the second.

"I saw three women in the woods, your majesty." Eva told him like she rehearsed with Christiane. "I was gathering herbs for my sister who is sick."

Uther nodded. "Go on."

Eva almost smiled at how the king was hanging to every word she said. "They just rose out of the mist. I was so terrified! I thought they were going to kill me! Thank goodness they didn't. They said something that sounded like a spell and my shoes turned to dust!" She made a point to look down at her dirty bare feet. "They were saying some very mean stuff about you, your highness."

The king narrowed his eyes. "What sort of things?"

Eva hesitated. "It wouldn't be right to repeat them."

He leaned back in his throne. "And where did you see these three sorceresses?"

"In the East Woods." Eva said. "Near Sapphire Falls."

Arthur frowned. "But that's not even near where our scouts found their tracks. Their footprints were spotted going towards the West Woods. This doesn't make any sense."

Eva pointed a finger towards the prince. "Are you calling me a liar, Prince Arthur?"

Arthur quickly backtracked. Despite being a little girl, Eva's newfound bravery made her slightly intimidating. "No! No, of course not. I believe that as a loyal citizen of Camelot, you are telling the truth. Maybe you were misled, though."

She tilted her head. "Maybe you were misled." Eva retorted.

Uther nodded, ignoring her disrespect towards his son. Sorcery was more important than a rude peasant. "That is true. It isn't beneath sorceresses to use magic to throw us off their track. It would be genius, actually, to have us look in a completely different area than they actually are." He pounded his fist against his palm. "We cannot let them escape. Arthur, prepare your men."

Arthur nodded and walked out of the throne room to get ready for a scouting trip. He knew that something was off about the girl's story, but he had no proof. He just had to follow his orders and search for the three sorceresses in the East Woods.

0o0o0o0o0o0

The Solargarde stood around Sapphire Falls like statues. They stared at the ridge, waiting for Prince Arthur and his knights to appear. If everything was going to plan, then the Solargarde would for Cedrid's kingdom within the hour. Ratka stood on the highest part of the ridge, next to a cart that was crucial. Without it, they weren't going to get anywhere fast.

Christiane approached Ratka with her bow in her hand. "When will they be here?" She asked.

The elderly woman peered into the crystal that she always kept with her. Figures of soldiers and horses danced in front of her eyes. Ratka squeezed her eyes shut. "Only a couple of minutes. You should lay out the rules for the women, otherwise it will be a bloodbath." Christiane nodded.

The middle-aged woman was surprisingly athletic for her age. She gracefully jumped on a large rock so that the Solargarde had a full view of her. Christiane pushed away a strand of greying hair from her face. "There will be no killing. I repeat, _no one_ will kill anyone." She told them.

Chelsey groaned. "But Camelot tried to execute over half of us! Can't we just kill one? One won't be a huge deal."

Christiane shook her head. "No killing, Chelsey. It is not honorable to desire taking a person's life. And I _will_ know if it was on 'accident'. You are skilled with either throwing knives or a bow. Use your magic to divert your weapon to their shoulders or hands. Some place that isn't fatal."

Chelsey pouted. "I really want to kill one of them."

Jordyn hid an amused smile. "Will it make you feel better to think of Uther's face when he finds out what happened to his beloved heir?"

Chelsey was about to shake her head, but then she thought about it. A large smile fell across her face at the thought of Uther sitting on his throne with a red face. "Actually, it does." She kissed Jordyn on the cheek. "I want to be the one who knocks him out." Chelsey smirked.

Brandi scoffed at her. "You wish. It will be me who knocks him out."

Margie shook her head. "You both can stop dreaming now, I will be the one to knock him out. Christiane approved of it."

Madelena held up a rock. "I want to knock him out!"

Chelsey ruffled Madelena's hair with her hand. "If anyone other than me knocks him out, I want it to be Madelena." The rest of the women murmured in agreement. The little girl, who was trying to appear threatening with her rock, was just so cute that they couldn't say no to her.

0o0o0o0o0o0

"How much longer until we are at Sapphire Falls?" Arthur asked one of his knights.

"It's right over this hill, sire." He answered.

Arthur tensed when the ridge approached. His instincts shrieked at him to return to Camelot, but he had a duty to do. Every lead must be checked to find the sorceresses. But honestly, he didn't want to find them. He let them escaped and he didn't want to go through all that trouble for them to be arrested again.

The woods turned eerily quiet. Arthur felt the wind but the trees stayed still in the slight breeze. The birds seemed to have fled and the bugs suddenly disappeared. Worst yet, the air was full of static electricity. He felt like he was being shocked by the gusts of air themselves. Every brush of air lit small sparks along his armor.

He raised his hand to stop the rest of them men behind him. They stood still. Arthur strained his ears for any sign of life. The only sound as the crunch of leaves under their horses' hooves. Suddenly, an arrow flew into the ground in front of his horse and burst into sparks. His horse reared, violently flinging Arthur off its back. The white stallion then dashed through the woods at top speeds, leaving Arthur horseless.

Arthur unsheathed his sword, only to drop it when an arrow clipped his fingers. His knights frantically dismounted their horses. Their heads turned wildly to catch sight of the archer, but it was difficult in the dense woods. They couldn't see a thing. past the rows of trees.

"Fight for the Solargarde! Kill for the Solargarde!" A chorus of women cried. Their voices completely surrounded the knights, and he would be lying if he said that he wasn't a tiny bit nervous when he heard the war-chant. Arthur whirled around to get a glimpse of one of them. All he saw were leaves and trees.

Arrows flew from the surrounding forest and imbedded themselves in his knights' hands, feet, and shoulders. The arrows were covered with a strange substance that drugged the knights. Valiant men who fought along side the prince were reduced to stumbling drunkards, and Arthur didn't know how to help.

Arthur picked up his sword again. "Stop hiding in the trees! You attack my men but you're too scared to show your faces?" He shouted to the trees.

Ratka was the first to appear out of the woods, the rest followed. She limped closer to the prince. He raised his sword wearily, but he had honor. Arthur didn't want to kill an unarmed, elderly woman.

She held out her hands in peace. "You do not need to be afraid of us, Prince Arthur."

He raised an eyebrow. "What do you want? Why did you harm my men?"

Before the old woman could answer, Arthur felt a sharp pain in the back of his head, then his vision went blank. Madelena stood behind him with a bewildered expression and a rock in her hand. She turned to Ratka. "Did I kill him?" Tears filled her eyes.

The old woman smiled. "No, you did not."

The young girl wiped away any stray tears. A mischievous smile climbed onto her face. If Arthur wasn't dead, then she knocked him out like she was supposed to. She did her job correctly. She helped the Solargarde.

Abram bounced to his sister's side. "Can we see mom now?"

Christiane nodded. "Yes. And Sarah and Kali. We will be together again."

He smiled with joy. "Good. I don't want to get separated ever again."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Nizana, Kali, and Sarah returned to a deserted campsite. Everything was gone, including their tents and clothes. There was no sign of a struggle or that there were even people here in the first place. A thought flashed through Kali's mind that they left without them, but she quickly discarded it. Ratka and the others would never leave without them like she would never leave without them. Family doesn't leave family behind.

Kali bent down to look at a broken stick. _That_ was the only sign that something living was here. They covered the rest of their tracks well. Kali had no idea where they went or what they were doing. "Where are they?" Kali wondered aloud.

Nizana shrugged. She sat down in the grass with her legs crossed, which is quite difficult to do since she was wearing a dress. "I have no idea. Hopefully not far."

Sarah looked at the spot that her tent used to be. "What are we going to do?"

"Wait." Nizana answered.

Kali and Sarah frowned. "Wait?" Kali repeated. "How can we just sit here and wait for them?"

Nizana stared at the woman. "We have no other choice. We wait until they come back, and they _will_ come back. I have faith in them."

"What if they're running from someone and couldn't wait for us?" Kali asked. She clenched her fists to keep herself from thinking of all the horrible things that could've happened to the members of the Solargarde.

Sarah sat next to Nizana in a similar fashion. "The Solargarde would never run." She whispered. The three nodded in agreement. The Solargarde would rather die in battle than run from an enemy.

They waited for several hours. Sarah and Kali wondered whether they should look for the others, but Nizana kept telling them that the rest were fine. Kali wanted to believe her, but she was like a nervous mother. The only thing that would calm her down in a moment like this was to see her lost family safe.

There was a rustle of leaves. Kali jumped with her hands out in a defensive stance. Their knives were taken when they were arrested, so they could only defend themselves with magic. Which, to be honesty, was enough. She was about to say a spell to stun the person behind the plants, but stopped when Abram and Madelena burst through the bushes. The two children catapulted themselves on their mother, who was ecstatic to see her children again.

"Where were you? We were getting worried." Kali said to Livia who just came through the bushes that the two children came through. The rest of the Solargarde followed her.

Livia's bright blue eyes shone with fresh excitement from a battle. "We got revenge for you three being arrested and almost executed."

Kali wasn't surprised that the Solargarde would go for revenge. "What did you do?"

Livia pointed towards the others. Margie led a horse with a cart in the back. There was a person, but Kali couldn't see who it was.

"You kidnapped someone?" Kali gasped out.

Chelsey smirked. "Not just anyone." She sang. "The royal prat himself. Prince Arthur!" She used all her strength to lift the torso of the man up so that Kali, Nizana, and Sarah could see his face. The prince's head sagged to the side but he remained unconscious.

They kidnapped Prince Arthur.

They kidnapped the Prince of Camelot.

Kali didn't even want to image what Uther would do when he found out. But based on the king's past actions, he would not react well.


	4. Chapter 4: Captive

To say that Uther was furious was a gross understatement. When he saw that the knights returned covered in arrows and without his son, he considered executing them for the inability to protect the sole heir to the Camelot throne. If it hadn't been for Gaius's calming advice, he might have done just that.

His knights told varying descriptions of what happened. Several say that there were not more than five, others said that there were up to twenty sorceresses. No two stories were the same, so it was difficult to get an accurate picture of what happened. For all he knew, there could be a whole army of magic-users that he failed to take care of, and this made his already paranoid mind go into a dark place.

He drummed his fingers on the table. Uther could barely eat or drink. His mind raced with the many execution techniques that he would use when he gets his hands on the Solargarde. They wouldpay for their actions, that he would make sure of. And if they did anything to harm Arthur, he would be sure to save the worse punishment Camelot had to offer for them. Perhaps Uther would hire men to come up with more gruesome torture techniques. The king was eager to hear their regretful screams.

"Worrying will do Arthur no good." Morgana said quietly. She paused. "Plotting revenge won't do any good either. We should just focus on getting him back alive, then go from there."

Uther sipped from his cup. His mouth formed a shrewd frown. "Are you familiar with the leader of the Solargarde, Morgana?"

The noblewoman was surprised by his question. "No, I'm not."

Uther hummed in approval. "I know her as Brielle but I _know_ that others call her something else. She's too vain to have one name." He spat. He turned towards Morgana. "She is a cruel, heartless woman who only cares for herself. Despite her horridness, she is an intelligent sorceress. Brielle won't kill Arthur. She wants to make him suffer, like I had her."

"What are you saying?" Morgana asked.

The king sighed. "I'm saying that when Arthur is found, he will not be the same. _She_ will have changed him. Brielle will work her way into his mind whether through her words or magic. It is our job to undo the damage that she will cause him."

Morgana stayed silent.

Uther stood up. Before he left, he turned to Morgana. "Be careful. I fear that she will plan to go after you as well. You must be on your guard for any sign of magic."

She bowed her head in silent agreement. Uther seemed satisfied with her answer and left her to eat the rest of her dinner alone, like he had done so many times before.

* * *

Arthur woke up with a cold wet rag on his forehead. He jerked awake only to find a pair of large brown eyes staring back at him. The prince tried to back away but found that he was tied up in the back of a wagon. Sitting next to him were two children and the girl who escaped from Camelot. About a dozen other women walked along side the wagon with hopeful conversations of warm weather and magic. When they saw that he was awake, they glared at him sharply before returning to their conversations. It was as if he wasn't important enough to spend time on.

"Lay still." Kali commanded. "The back of your head is still wounded and Christiane refused to do any healing magic on you without your permission."

He narrowed his eyes. "You're a sorceress." Arthur bluntly stated.

Chelsey scowled at him, who was closely listening to every word. "We're all sorceresses." She snapped. Jordyn ushered her away before the once noblewoman could spit any insults at the prince. Chelsey was still horribly bitter after Uther almost had her and Jordyn executed for sorcery. Since Uther wasn't here, she easily shifted the blame on his son.

Kali's brown eyes shone a bright yellow. Arthur stifled a gasp. He had never seen magic this close before. "Would you like me to heal your head?" She asked. Kali was tempted to say the spell without his permission, but she held back. Healing spells rarely worked on an unwilling patient.

Now that she mentioned it, the back of his head throbbed terribly. He winced at the pain, and tried to hide it behind a scowl. "I don't want any magic used on me." He said. "Why have you kidnapped me?" Arthur asked even though the answer was obvious. He was the prince, afterall.

"Revenge for Uther arresting us." Kali mused quietly. She leaned forward so that the other members of the Solargarde couldn't hear her. "Thank you for letting me go."

Arthur narrowed his eyes. "And you kidnap me as repayment?"

Kali shook her head. "I didn't know that they were going to kidnap you, but what done is done. I don't approve of what happened, but there is no stopping it now."

"You can let me go. I let you go, now it's your turn." Arthur said, praying that he somehow convinced her. Kali shook her head again, knowing that letting Arthur go wasn't an option anymore.

"Madelena, can you pass me the bandages?" She asked, ignoring what Arthur said completely.

The young girl's eyes grew wide with surprise. "Can you not heal him?"

"I can," she gave Arthur a pointed look, "but he thinks that he's too good for a little healing magic. He'll have to heal the normal way."

Madelena rummaged through a worn-out bag until she found the familiar cloth soaked in a special remedy made using magic, but what Arthur didn't know wouldn't hurt him. She handed the bandages to Kali who awkwardly covered the back of his head with the cloth. The remedy on the cloth quickly eased his pain to a small throb.

"We'll have to change the bandages every hour or so, so it doesn't become infected." She said to no one in particular. "If you want, Ratka makes a very good tea that helps with pain." She frowned when she saw the grimace on his face. "It's herbal tea. Nothing magical. It's something that you could get from a physician."

Arthur wanted to say no, but his head hurt badly. He had dealt with worse injuries, but somehow the rocking of the wagon made the throbbing in his head worse. He said yes, despite the urge to not accept anything from her. Kali nodded and mentally made note to have Eva gather the herbs later on. She got off the wagon to walk by Margie's side, making sure to keep a sharp eye on Arthur when he was around the children. They were too curious about the prince for their own good as they hadn't stopped talking about him since they abducted Arthur.

Madelena and Abram sat in front of Arthur where Kali was seated moments. Their blue eyes shone shined with curiosity. Arthur was more than confused to see the two children stare at him like he was solid gold. He wasn't sure whether he was amused or absolutely terrified, since he assumed that both children possessed magic.

"My name's Madelena and this is my brother Abram." She told him.

Abram poked Arthur's cheek. "Are you _really _a prince?"

"Yes I am." Arthur answered slowly, not sure where the conversation was going.

"Do you live in a castle?" The small boy asked.

A smile crept on the prince's face without him knowing. Within a matter of ten seconds, the twins won him over. "Of course."

Madelena giggled. "Do you have a princess?"

He shook his head, only slightly grimacing at the pain. "No, I do not."

"Will you have a princess?" She pressed. Her eyes widened with anticipation while Abram was immediately bored with the conversation.

Arthur was about to answer when Abram interrupted him. "Lena! Who cares whether or not he has a princess?" He turned towards Arthur. "Are you good with a sword?"

Madelena pouted, interrupting Arthur from answering Abram's question. "_I _want to know, Abram!"

"Well, no one else does!" Abram counters.

She whipped around in the cart to face her mom. "Mom! Abram's not letting Prince Arthur answer my question of whether or not he has a princess!"

Nizana narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the prince. She hadn't noticed that they were talking to him, and she felt at unease that they were. "Madelena, Abram, sit back down. Remember what we talked about? Neither of you are allowed to talk to Prince Arthur." She scolded.

The two children groaned. "But momma!"

She pointed a finger towards them. "No 'but momma's'. You will sit back down and stay quiet until we reach the river. Am I clear?"

Abram and Madelena grumbled under their breath but listened to their mother. They shifted to the other end of the wagon and took to blowing leaves up magically. It freaked Arthur out. Each time the leaf flew in the air, he winced as if there was a knife held to his throat. Though he would never admit it to anyone, being so close to people who have magic made him very much terrified. He felt on edge. One wrong combination of words, and he could be dead. He would never become king of Camelot or have children or get married, all because of some silly words.

Little did he know that the women of the Solargarde were just as afraid of Arthur as he was of them. They knew everything Uther did to people of magic, and were scared that he would turn into the same man. Several of them couldn't help wondering that them kidnapping Arthur was going to push the prince to hate magic more than he already did. But none of them told their thoughts to each other, concerned they would worry the rest. So instead of talking about their feelings, they stuck to safe topics like hunting and Ratka's visions.

They reached the river several long hours later. Small fish gleefully swam in the shallow creek. Somewhere further down the stream was a bubbling waterfall. The prince recognized it as Silent Brook, which was several hours away from Camelot on horseback. Arthur and his knights occasionally made camp here because of the clean water and that it laid exactly in the middle of two major villages.

Arthur was about to comment in amazement of how great time the women made, but he fell backwards when someone jabbed a knife towards his face. He narrowly avoided a nasty slice.

"You try anything, and I'll cut you wide open." Chelsey threatened. She turned stiff when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Chelsey pulled the knife away from Arthur's face, but still held it in his direction.

Ratka chuckled. "My dear, holding grudges won't do any good. Cut him free."

Her mouth fell open. "But—"

"He won't go anywhere, Kali will make sure of that." Ratka said.

Kali's mouth also fell open in shock at the elderly woman volunteering her for this. She walked up to the elderly woman. "What do you mean by that?" She asked nervously.

Ratka smiled slyly. "I trust you, Kali. You are perfectly capable of making sure he doesn't escape. Plus, you're one of the few that I'm sure isn't tempted to thrust a blade at him." She gave Chelsey a pointed look. Chelsey looked down sheepishly.

As much as Kali wanted to argue, she knew that Ratka would get her way, one way or another. She decided to save the hassle and go along with what the elderly woman said. Kali grabbed the knife from Chelsey and cut the rope from Arthur's wrists and ankles. Almost immediately he attempted to escape.

Kali's eyes flashed gold. "_Asælan se beorn_."

Arthur's body stiffened like he was made of ice. He no longer felt his fingers or toes. Worst of all, he fell flat on his face and couldn't move his arms to get up again. All the women laughed at the prince then returned to setting up camp.

Ratka seemed proud and Chelsey was amused that the prince got hurt. Everyone was happy. Everyone except Arthur.

"See, Kali, you are perfectly capable of making sure he stays." The elderly woman mused. "Now, please let him up. I'm sure it's incredibly embarrassing to be rendered useless on the dirt."

Christiane handed Kali an extra tent that they kept for emergencies. "This one is larger that your last tent."

Her eyebrows came together. "Why would I need a bigger tent?" Suddenly it connected in Kali's mind. Her eyes grew wide with shock. "He's not sleeping in my tent with me!" She exclaimed. Arthur let out a series of incoherent noises, since he couldn't move his tongue, that sounded like he agreed with Kali.

"Where else is he going to sleep? It's too cold for him to sleep outside and he can't have his own tent." Christiane said. "It will only be for several weeks."

Kali groaned in irritation. Sure, her first impression of Arthur was that he was a kind person, but that didn't mean she wanted to sleep in the same tent as him! Especially when he would most likely use any means necessary to escape. His attempt several minutes ago is proof that he would at least try to get away from the Solargarde.

* * *

Kali had taken the necessary precautions. She placed several charms on the flap of the tent so that she was the only one who could open it. She also split the tent in half with an invisible barrier so that she wouldn't have to worry about him smothering her in her sleep. All in all, she felt fairly secure and content about that night. She had long released Arthur from the binding spell, and instead placed a spell that tethered a magical leash to him. He couldn't go more than ten feet away from her. And if he did, he would be shocked with intense amounts of pain. After several attempts to run, Arthur got the idea that he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

"Do you have enough blankets?" Kali asked as she shivered from the autumn air.

Arthur looked at her oddly. "You're keeping me prisoner, and you're worried if I'm warm enough?" He asked doubtfully.

She shrugged. "You're not our prisoner, you're our special guest that can't leave." She answered. Kali placed her hands on her hips. "Now, are you warm enough, because if you aren't, I can ask around for extra blankets."

"I'm fine." He quipped. Arthur had slept in colder conditions with less than what she had given him. He would be fine for the night. "This is the oddest abduction that has ever happened." He muttered to himself. Despite experiencing immense pain from several spells, the Solargarde had treated him fairly well. If he didn't know better, he would say that he was visiting a foreign ally on a diplomacy mission. Sure, several of the women gave him nasty looks from time to time, but overall he was treated more like a friend than a captive.

Kali laid down in the tent. She turned her back on the prince. "Well, if you don't need anything, goodnight."

He didn't respond. She fell asleep and Arthur found himself lying awake to the sound of her breathing. When her breathes were longer and deeper, Arthur decided that now was his chance when she was asleep. He reached for the flap in the tent but his hand went against it like it was a wall. Arthur tried to push the flap but there was an invisible barrier that kept him from exiting the tent. He tried to go over on Kali's side, hoping that maybe it would work on her side, but found that there was another barrier stopping him from crossing the middle of the tent.

He was trapped. The only thing he could do now would be to sleep and hope for a chance to escape in the morning.


	5. Chapter 5: Bathing

Merlin rubbed his hands through his hair. His eyes were sunken in from a night of peering over books upon books, trying to get an idea of what the Solargarde was like. What its weaknesses and strengths were, and if there was a way that he could bring Arthur back to Camelot without dying. After a long night of reading, the only things he learned were the past leaders and all the wars that they participated in. Not very helpful when it came to returning the prince.

If he wasn't terribly tired or if the prince's life wasn't on the line, Merlin would've found it very interesting. From what he gathered, kingdoms hired the Solargarde to shift the war in their favor. And every time a king did, they won. It was an undeniable fact that the Solargarde was even more powerful than the local kingdoms before the Great Purge. They didn't have power like a monarch did, but they had power nonetheless. But when Uther started the Great Purge, the magical sect seemed to just disappear. It was odd, but Merlin could guess that they were killed off.

He was frustrated that he couldn't find any useful information. Merlin could tell you who the leaders and all the members were one hundred years ago. He could tell you their past battle techniques and positions. But he wouldn't be able to tell you anything of what the group is like now. There was a huge gap of missing information from a century ago to now.

Merlin scanned the list of past leaders that he made, starting from its existence. "Jeanna, Dianna, Margarida, Luciana, Addison, Brielle..." He groaned in annoyance. "I just need to know who the leader is _now_." He considered going to the dragon, but his skin crawled at the idea. He didn't trust him and the dragon certainly didn't trust Merlin. There waas a huge chance that the dragon would prefer to protect the Solargarde than tell him anything. Plus, Merlin didn't feel like trying to figure out one of its riddles today.

Gaius looked at the boy in shock when he walked in. "Merlin, have you been up all night?"

He nods slowly, his eyes not leaving the old book.

The old man looked over Merlin's shoulder. His eyes widened when he saw what Merlin was looking at. "Why are you reading about the Solargarde?"

Merlin tore his eyes from the sentences. "I'm trying to figure out what I'm up against."

Gaius raised an eyebrow. "What _you're_ up against?"

"Someone has to get the prince." Merlin muttered, quite sure that it would be his job to make sure that Arthur was returned safely. Gaius stayed silent. Merlin looked at him curiously. "What?"

Gaius sat next to Merlin. He ran a hand over his wrinkled face.

Merlin face fell slack with disbelief. "You don't think that I would be able to do it? Do you?"

He sighed. "You have to understand, the Solargarde is incredibly powerful. You wouldn't come within a mile of them without them knowing."

The young man pointed towards the papers in front of him. "That's why I'm researching! They lost all the power they had after the Great Purge. They aren't as powerful as they once were."

Gaius shook his head. "No, they didn't. Their power never came from the kings that were in debt to them for their actions in their battles. It never came from their reputation of being one of the most powerful sorceresses." He paused, trying to find the right words to describe it. "Before and after the purge, their power and control over the people stayed the same. It was fear. If you walked out in the streets of Camelot and shouted that you were a member of the Solargarde, you would find people moving out of the city before sundown. Even now people still fear their name."

Merlin's eyebrows came together. "But if it's only the name that they fear, then I should be able to handle them. I have been practicing..."

The old man placed a hand on Merlin's arm to silence him. "No, you don't understand. People have a reason to fear them. Then and now. Have you heard of the Bloody Conquering?"

Merlin shuffled through the many papers the laid on the table. "I found something about it... it wasn't much though."

Gaius nodded. "That's because it's an old tale. They said that many centuries ago, before there were even kingdoms, there was a woman. She singlehandedly slaughtered village after village with magic. It is told that she was the first magic user, but I believe that she was just the first person to realize the magic inside of them then she spread the idea of using magic from there. This woman brought the entire area under her command in what was known as the Bloody Conquering. The tale... says that all members of the Solargarde are her descendents, that they all have the ability to unleash raw power on their enemies that cannot be matched."

"But, that's just a story. Right?" Merlin asked carefully.

The physician frowned. "I wish I could tell you that. Someone, a long time ago, told me this, and I believe her. She's been dead for decades now, but she knew the truth. The point is, that the Solargarde is particularly talented in learning magic. Alone, nobody stands a chance."

Merlin soaked it in. His mind whirled at a million miles per hour. "What if I convince them to let Arthur go?"

Gaius thought about it. "That could work. A much better plan than fighting them for him. But how will you do that?"

Merlin groaned. He covered his face with his hands in frustration. "No idea."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Kali felt like she slept for years. Being back with her chosen family gave her a sense of security and happiness, even though she wasn't away from them for more than a day. She was just so happy to be back, and when she dreamed, she dreamt that she was with them. Knowing that the people she loved most in the world were only a stone's throw away lulled her into a deep, unbreakable sleep. Not even Arthur's snoring was enough to wake her up.

She rolled over in her blankets. Her eyes shot open and she suddenly remembered that she wasn't alone. Arthur, who had been awake for an hour, was sitting on the other side of the tent, staring at her with unblinking eyes.

"Why are you staring at me?" She asked suddenly, feeling unnerved. Arthur looked away. He didn't realize that he was staring and now was very embarrassed that he was.

He looked towards the flap of the tent. "I'm guessing that you did some magic or something on the tent. I can't open the tent."

She raised an eyebrow at his confession of his escape attempt. Kali sighed. She reached for his hand. He flinched away like he was stung by a bee. Kali sighed again in irritation and exasperation that a grown man was scared of a woman that he could snap like a twig. It should be _her_ who was scared of him. "I have to touch you so that you can leave the tent." Kali paused. "Remember, I still have that spell that keeps you from going too far." He gulped back, put a stone-cold expression on his face, and grabbed her hand.

Kali lead him out of the tent without problems. Whey they exited the tent, what they saw would make Kali bounce up and down in joy. Her stomach gurgled in anticipation and suddenly the knot of hunger in her stomach didn't seem as big. _They caught a deer_. Jordyn, using her own knives, had cut up the lean meat and was cooking it over the fire. Madelena and Abram were reenacting the hunting scene for the rest of the Solargarde, who were laughing at the children. They took turns being the deer and being Jordyn. The normally unemotional hunter had a small smile on her face as she watched the children prance around.

Kali rushed over to the fire. Arthur followed behind like a trained puppy.

"Where did you find it?" Kali asked. Her brown eyes shined with excitement.

Jordyn shook her head. "It was all Ratka. Last night we were speaking about who low our food supply was. She looked into the crystal for any type of guidance and she saw the deer. All I did was shoot the arrow."

Kali hugged Jordyn gratefully. "Thank you. We were all so hungry." Jordyn told her that it was nothing, then continued to cook the meat.

"AHHHH!" Madelena screeched. She fell down to the ground, and pretended to die.

Abram stood victoriously over his sister. "I, Jordyn, will bring this back to my family! We will eat a lot of food and give all our extra treats to Abram and Madelena! I promise that on my life!" Kali giggled along with everyone else. Even Arthur had a small smile on his face.

Nizana laughed at her children but shook her head as a sign that they weren't going to get any treats. The twins stomped off angrily to play by the stream. Kali walked over to a spot on the ground. Arthur continued to stand. Kali could tell that he wanted to run, but she also knew that he would feel a lot of magical pain if he tried. Despite knowing that he wouldn't get far, Kali kept a close eye on him.

"Eva, did you get the herbs?" Kali asked.

The girl nodded. She reached into her leather pouch and pulled out several green herbs. Kali hung a pot of water over a fire and began to make tea for Arthur's head injury. After a while, it was done. She poured the liquid into a cup and handed it to the prince. He looked at it with an enormous amount of suspicion. For all he knew, she could be poisoning him.

"That's the tea that I told you about. Drink it. It will help with your headache." She told him.

Arthur scowled. "I don't have a headache."

She scowled right back at him. "Yes you do." Kali reached into her own leather pouch and pulled out some clean bandages. He was long overdue for a change. "You also need clean bandages, so please sit down."

He hesitated but sat down on the dirt. Kali came up behind him and replaced the bandages. Arthur quietly sipped his tea. Though it tasted horribly, it did help his head, so he didn't complain.

"How does your head feel now?" Kali asked quietly. She rubbed the leaves out of the prince's blonde hair that were there ever since he fell on the ground yesterday. He _really_ needed a bath. No, they both needed a bath. While she was cleaning his bandages, she found pine needles and sticks tangled in her brown, thin hair.

"Fine." He answered. "Thank you for the tea."

She smiled. "I knew it would help."

They both jumped when Chelsey threw two large buckets in their direction. Inside where two rags that were to be used to clean themselves. She stood before them with two hands on her hips. "It's bathing day." She stated.

Kali frowned. "But bathing day is every second Monday. It's Wednesday."

Chelsey shrugged. "Ratka thought it would be nice for Arthur to get a bath _and_ she said that we all stink from traveling yesterday." She huffed angrily, but Kali knew that she wasn't angry with what Ratka said. She was just angry because the Solargarde was making accommodations to Arthur. Kali could understand. Camelot has wronged the Solargarde so many times that it was written in their genes to hate the kingdom, but she couldn't hate Arthur or Uther. They were human too. They made mistakes, even if they didn't think it was a mistake. Kali only hated the prejudice that was carved into both the prince's and king's minds.

"Thank you, Chelsey. Tell Jordyn to save me some food while we bathe." Kali said. Chelsey wrinkled her nose at Arthur and walked away. Kali turned towards the prince. "Where would you like to bathe? The water is colder downstream but there is a waterfall that we can use. Upstream is warmer and slower, but there are leeches."

Arthur stared back at her. "You're asking me, 'the prisoner', what we should do?"

Kali nodded, her brown eyes showing irritation while the rest of her face seemed welcoming.

Arthur thought for several moments. "Downstream. I don't feel like pulling leeches off me."

Kali grinned. "Good choice." She turned towards the rest of the Solargarde. "Arthur and I will go downstream. You all get upstream." The Solargarde groaned in frustration, but none of them wanted to see a naked Arthur so they agreed without too many complaints.

Kali led the prince downstream. They walked for what seemed forever until they reached a small waterfall that they could easily stand under. she took off her shoes and was about to pull off her dress when Arthur quickly stopped her.

"What are you doing?" He exclaimed. He was in shock that she was about to undress just like that in front of him! Never in his life had someone do that so casually in front of him.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "I'm going to bathe."

"But... you were... I..."

The young sorceress nearly laughed at the blubbering prince. "Did you really expect me to bathe with my dress on?"

Arthur shook his head. "Ah.. no, but I thought that we..." He cleared his throat and straightened his back. "I thought that we were bathing in different parts of the river."

"We are. The Solargarde gets upstream while we get downstream." She placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Honestly, I don't feel like seeing you without clothes on either, but someone has to watch you. Would you rather that Chelsey kept an eye on you?"

Arthur sighed in exasperation. There was no getting around this. If he wanted to get the icky, dirty feeling off of him, he would need to bathe in the river with a naked woman a couple of feet away from him. He tried not to think about that too much. "Let me get in first. I'll turn by back on you, and then we'll bathe in the river." He grumbled. Kali reached into the bucket and handed him a rag. Arthur grimaced at the though of how many people used this before him. Back in Camelot, he had sponges imported from coastal kingdoms that he could use. Now, he only had a filthy piece of fabric.

Arthur nearly blushed when he realize that Kali was still looking at him. "Will you turn around?" He nearly hissed, but he remembered that it would be to his benefit to be kind to his captors.

"What if you run?" She said.

"I won't."

"I can't risk that."

"Fine!" He threw his hands up in the air. Instead, he turned his back on her. Arthur quickly discarded his clothes and even quicker, he rushed into the river. The whole time he could feel her eyes on him. He just hoped that she wasn't looking any lower than the back of his head.

Kali nearly giggled at his bashfulness. "You don't need to act like that. I have seen other men before. It's not a surprise to me."

Arthur didn't dare turn around to look at her. Kali tugged off her dress and stepped into the water. It was absolutely freezing. Arthur was shivering under the waterfall and Kali felt like she would freeze up any second. She muttered a spell under her breath and the water slowly warmed to the temperature that it would be in mid-summer. The shivering stopped and now they could clean themselves in comfort.

The constant trickle of water lulled Kali into a deep thought. She thought about everything ranging from how the deer would taste to what could have been her fate if she never escaped Camelot with Nizana and Sarah. She also thought what would've happened if Arthur dragged her back to the prison instead. Though she didn't like the idea that she was indebted to someone, there was no denying that she owed Arthur. She owed him a lot. But the one thing that he wanted, to go back to Camelot, was something that she couldn't give. So, she thought of other ways that she could make it up to him.

_'Perhaps he would enjoy a feast.'_ She mused to herself. '_There's no food though.'_ She nearly jumped up when the idea came to her mind. If she can't take him to Camelot, maybe she could show him Camelot. It wouldn't be too hard. She had an old mirror that she could enchant to view the streets and the outside of the castle. He would be able to see that his kingdom was doing just fine and maybe that would make up for a fraction of what she owed him.

Kali froze. Her gut was telling her that something was very wrong.

"Arthur," she started, "do you hear anything?"

He paused, but still didn't turn around. "Like what?"

She shook her head. "I don't know, but something is very wrong."

Suddenly they heard voices coming their way. It sounded like two men on horseback. Arthur perked up, thinking that it was his men or a search party. He was about to yell out when he felt a hand pull over his mouth and pull him under the waterfall. Kali touched a rune on her arm. "_Macion_." It glowed a bright yellow then dimmed noticeably. Kali hoped the luck would be enough to keep them safe. "They're not any knights. They're bandits. They'll kill us both." She whispered. Arthur realized that if they were cutthroat bandits, they wouldn't care whether he was the prince or not. They would kill him without a second thought. Or worse, torture him and send a ransom to his father. He was much safer under the waterfall with a sorceress than fighting bandits weaponless.

The two men came to the edge of the river. They didn't notice the pile of clothes hidden by the rocks or the two people under the small waterfall. The two men talked, watered their horses then sat down for lunch. They seemed to enjoy the location as much as the Solargarde did. Based on the mats that one of the men unpacked, they were planning to stay all night.

Kali sighed. She hoped that it wouldn't come to this, but she would have to get rid of them herself. Arthur wasn't much use without a sword, and she wouldn't dare give him such a dangerous object around her.

"_Giedd fram gesne wif._" Her eyes flashed gold.

One of the men shot straight up. He looked around himself nervously. "Did you hear that?" He asked his friend.

"What?"

"I heard... never mind." The man nervously sat back down. His hands shook slightly. He shot back up from his spot again. "Did you hear _that_?!"

"What are you talking about?"

The first man waved his hands around him wildly. "I heard someone say something in the woods! We aren't alone!" He grabbed his sword and searched around the woods. The second man looked confused because he didn't hear anyone. Kali was almost relieved, because the spell she casted made the person hear voices of people that they killed. Of course it wasn't really that person, but their own guilt made people hear their voices. It would keep the first man preoccupied for a while. Now, on to the second man.

Her eyes flashed gold again. Kali's silent spell caused the sticks that they gathered for a fire to roll into the river when his back was turned. He rubbed his head nervously then went back into the woods to gather more wood. Now was their chance.

Kali and Arthur snuck out from the waterfall. They quickly ran over to where their clothes were hidden and put them on.

"What did you do to them?" He asked while he tugged on his pants.

Kali pulled her dress over her head. "Distracted them. Come on, we don't have long." She held out her hand and he grabbed it. Together they ran through the woods and back to the Solargarde camp.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Ratka gazed into her crystal. She mumbled several things that sounded insane. It made Arthur question the woman's sanity but to the others it was normal. Ratka looked back up at the Solargarde. "They will leave by sundown but I am unsure why."

Christiane nodded. She leaned against a tree. "Well, given what Kali told us, I think that we should scare them off. Scaring them seemed to work fairly well. It wouldn't be good for them to know where we are and tell any guards." She looked at their 'prisoner'. Christiane had no doubt that Arthur would very much like for the bandits to tell guards to come and arrest the Solargarde. "If we can't scare them off, then we will be forced to kill them."

"Why can't we just kill them?" Livia almost whined. "It would be so much easier. Plus, they can't be good people. One of them murdered someone! We would be doing Camelot a favor by putting him down."

Kali shook her head. "But the other one hasn't killed anyone."

"Then we will spare him, but I'm sure he did something just as bad." Livia retorted.

Brandi stood up. She towered over everyone with her natural height and strength. She turned towards Ratka who was much shorter than she was. "Can you take away their memories? Perhaps make them forget that they were bandits to start with? It would be much more humane than killing them and there would be no chance of them returning."

Ratka nodded with a faint smile on her lips. "We will put it to a vote." She said, but it sounded like she already knew the answer. "Who wants to kill the men?" Livia and Sarah's hands go up. "Scare them?" Madelena and Abram eagerly raised their hands. They looked too excited to scare the bandits, not that Nizana would let them go anyways. "Erase their memories?" The rest of the Solargarde raised their hands. Ratka nodded. "Then so be it. We will bring them back, erase their memories, and set them in the nearest village."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Brandi, Margie, and Oriold captured the bandits and brought them back to camp. Ratka muttered several powerful spells. Their faces went blank and their eyes were dull. Ratka looked towards Kali. "Will you please construct a new life for them?" Kali nodded. She had done this several times before and had the most experience with memory spells, other than Ratka. The elderly woman looked towards the prince. "Arthur, will you please help her. She isn't as familiar with Camelot, so it would be a huge help." Arthur found himself agreeing.

The two sat in front of the men. They're faces were completely blank. The poor men didn't know how to speak or even eat. Kali easily placed basic skills in their head like how to walk, talk, ride a horse, and several more. Everything that they would need to live, but now was the creative part. Kali had to build a new life for them that would be so believable that no one would assume that someone used magic on the two men.

"Do you think I should let them be able to read and write?" Kali asked.

Arthur shrugged. "Usually only nobles or higher classes know how to read, but I also have several servants who are literate."

"So yes, then." She hummed. Kali casually placed the knowledge to read in the two men. Their dull eyes sparked with life. She looked towards the prince. "Any common knowledge about Camelot that they should know?"

The prince thought for several moments. "They should definitely know who the king, prince, and his ward are. Perhaps some of the kingdoms around." Kali inserted what Arthur said into their minds.

"And for their life-story?"

"Life-story?"

Kali smiled. This was her favorite part. "Yes, their life-story. They need to have a background or something. Like, where did they come from? What are their parents' names? Do they have any siblings?"

Arthur was almost horrified at the fact that she just erased these mens lives and was casually constructing an entirely new one for them, but he also knew that it would be a better life than a bandit. "Just something happy." That was his only request.

Kali paused. She grinned. Arthur found himself staring at her sparkling brown eyes. They looked the same when he first met her. Wide and doe-like, but without as much fear as before. He like them when she didn't look afraid.

She backed away from the two, very satisfied with her work. "These two are brothers from a village near Camelot. They have been traveling around the country for the past few weeks searching for work and adventure. Their parents' names were Harold and Emily, who died several years ago, but loved them very much. The two were raised in a relatively wealthy family and was always well-fed. No other siblings, but they love each other so much that they don't need any other siblings. Their happiest memory was when their father and mother took the two to visit their grandparents in a far away village. They have been in love with traveling long distances ever since."

Jordyn handed the two several pieces of meat. Neither realized that after all the chaos, they hadn't eaten anything. "Sorry it's cold, but there was so much going on." Jordyn told them. She walked away and sat next to Chelsey by their tents.

Arthur thought as he ate the deer. The Solargarde had a choice to kill or spare the men, and they chose to spare them. Though it wasn't in a way that he thought was acceptable, they still let the men keep their lives. This didn't change his opinion on magic-users, but maybe it was enough to sway him a little.

Maybe.


	6. Chapter 6: Visions

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Morgana found herself pacing the castle nervously. It had been two days since Arthur had been missing. Uther was a mess. He sent out guards constantly but none of them came up with anything. The noblewoman didn't know whether to be relieved or terrified. The three members of the Solargarde that she met only a couple of days ago seemed so nice. She thought that perhaps she could make a new life with the group. Maybe she could practice magic and learn how to control her dreams. She would very much like that, but she was increasingly worried for Arthur. She had no idea what would happen to him, and the not knowing was the worst part.

For months before this, she had dreams. She didn't realize until now that they were about the Solargarde and Arthur. It was a jumbled mess and she couldn't make any sense of it. But one thing she did know was that Kali would be very important. Why? Morgana had no idea.

"Milady, please excuse my behavior, but this is the third time that I saw you walk down this hallway. Are you alright?" A servant timidly asked.

Morgana smiled. "I am fine, but thank you for your concern." The servant bowed then rushed off to finish with her laundry. Morgana's smile quickly fell. Despite the feeling to protect the Solargarde, she knew that she had to do something. So, the noblewoman rushed off to the throne room to see Uther.

He glanced up in surprise at her bold entrance. "Ah, Morgana. Do you need something?"

She lifted her chin proudly. "We need to find Arthur now. You're going about this all wrong."

The king sighed instead of lecturing her like she expected him to. "I know. That is why I am sending out spies to villages to look for them. I'm also increasing the patrols around the borders if they try to leave Camelot." The king clenched his fist. "They will not escape me."

Morgana nodded in approval, but then something horrible dawned on her. "What will happen to the sorceresses when you find them?"

Uther smirked. "I will do something that was supposed to happen years ago, they will be burnt at the pyre. They will all suffer for defying Camelot and my authority." He looked at the noblewoman. "Don't worry, they will face their punishment."

She forced a smile on her face but it felt fake. _That_ was why she was worried.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Kali caught Arthur looking at her _again_. His face was scrunched up in concentration and he looked like he was trying to figure something out. Arthur would stare at her for several moments, look at the ground, then repeat. It was incredibly annoying. Kali wasn't sure if Arthur was planning something or he was just an odd person. Kali sincerely hoped it was the latter.

Arthur opened his mouth, then quickly shut it.

"What?" Kali sighed.

The prince shook his head. "I was just thinking."

Kali was incredibly curious what was making him act this way, so she continued to press. "It must be something important if you're acting this way." She said.

Arthur was silent for several moments. "Why?"

She blinked once at him. "Why what?"

Arthur paused. He looked like he was choosing his next words very carefully. "Why did you become a sorceress?" He asked.

Kali looked away. "I didn't really have a choice in the matter." She muttered. Her chest felt tight with emotion. The only other person that she told the story to was Ratka. The rest of the Solargarde had their own stories of how they came to magic, and none of them liked to share the stories since they usually involved so much grief. Kali's story was not the saddest of them all, but it made her emotional every time she thought about it. Something in the back of her brain told her that maybe telling Arthur isn't a bad idea. Maybe it would help her. She wouldn't have to deal with his pitying looks, because they will most likely release him soon since they won't keep him forever. Plus, she wouldn't have to worry about him trying to top her with a more depressing tale. "Do you want me to tell you? It is a long story, though."

He shrugged. "Well since I won't be going anywhere anytime soon..."

The young sorceress took in a deep breath. She gripped her dress to make the shaking in her hands less noticeably. "I like to say that I was born with magic...," she starts, "and I pretty much was. My parents said that when my mother was pregnant, a woman came to them and said that in order for me to live a long and happy life, I would have to learn magic. You see, they weren't against magic like everyone else was. My father was a sorcerer but my mother couldn't do any magic, but she knew how it worked. When I was born, they immediately surrounded me with everything magic. My first words were a spell too..." She drifted off.

Kali's eyes turned sad. "When I turned ten, my mother was killed by a run-away horse. I remember how sad my father was. He would only talk to himself in his room. He wouldn't even look at me. One day, I guess it became too much and he ran himself through with a sword. After that, I was sent to my aunt's house in Vumdohr. I didn't know that magic was something people were afraid of." She said quietly. "I didn't know that people thought it was bad. My parents always taught me that magic was used to help everyone, not something to hurt with. One time my aunt was clearing the fields and she looked so tired. She wouldn't let me work since I was just a small child. She told me that in a couple of years I could help her, but then she just wanted me to play with the fellow children. She wanted me to have a childhood that she never got the chance to have, since my mother and her grew up very poor. I used my magic to clear the fields."

Kali paused. The pain in her chest seemed to grow, but she couldn't stop then. She had to continue. "She was so angry. She called me a demon-child and locked me in the cellar while she called the guards." Arthur gulped at her wide-eyed stare. She looked like she was reliving the memory right in front of him. "I escaped and ran as fast as I could. I had lived in the woods for several days when Ratka found me. Without her, I would've died."

Arthur soaked it in. He looked up at her. "When you found out that magic was illegal, why didn't you just stop practicing it?"

She looked at him like he was insane. "Why would I? It was a part of me. To stop practicing magic would be like cutting off my hand. I _won't_ do it."

"But your parents forced it on you." Arthur responded. He didn't understand why she would want to practice magic. "I'm sure my father would over look the face you have magic if you renounced it. He would understand that it was all you knew."

The fire next to them crackled with energy. Her eyes blazed with irritation. The other members of the Solargarde looked at the two with fear and anticipation. Even Arthur could feel the power rolling off of Kali. She glared at him with such intensity that Arthur expected himself to burst into flames. And with magic, that could very well be possible.

"Your father forced his hate of magic on _you_." She spat at him. "I'm sure the Solargarde would over look your hate of magic if you renounced your prejudice. We would understand that it was all you knew." Kali jabbed a finger towards him. "Don't you dare think that you're all high and mighty, just because you're the Prince of Camelot. Face it, you're no different from us. The only difference is that we have a way with words!"

Kali jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked back to see Ratka and all the angry disappeared. The old woman took a seat across from the two. She had a grim expression on her face but there was a twinkle in her eyes. It seemed that the elderly woman always knew when everything would happen. She practically lived in the crystal, constantly seeking the future. Though it had turned her mind into a jumbled mess, Ratka still had enough sense in her to keep everything right and peaceful.

"It's beautiful here, isn't it?" Ratka mused, not addressing the potential fight that was brewing moments ago.

Kali bowed her head slightly. "It is. You picked a good spot."

The elderly woman smiled. "I did. When I saw it, I knew that it was perfect."

Margie rushed forward, carrying a basin of water. Her curly red hair bounced wildly as she set it in front of the three. She greeted Kali and Ratka, then went back to her spot with the others. Ratka ran her worn hand over the edge of the basin. "I know that your feelings towards magic are rather bitter." She said to the prince.

Arthur nodded but didn't say anything else. After what happened with Kali, he was cautious to say anything bad about sorcery in front of any member of the Solargarde.

She hummed to herself a song that was centuries old as she thought. "Would you like to see your future?" She asked.

The prince's eyes grew wide. "No, that wouldn't be acceptable."

"It's not magic." Ratka replied. "Life is nothing more than a pre-woven rug. Scrying is merely looking at a few of the threads. It doesn't involve magic, just an open mind. It is your destiny to see this. Would you like me to show you a couple of the threads?"

Arthur shook his head. "It wouldn't be right for me to do that, as the Prince of Camelot. I have to stick to the laws."

Kali frowned. "You're lucky." She murmured. "Ratka hasn't offered any of us to look into the basin. If you don't take this now, then you're a fool."

He ran a hand over his face. For some reason her words greatly affected. Arthur looked towards the old woman who seemed to be whispering something to herself. "You said that it wasn't magic?"

Ratka smiled. She already knew his answer. "It's not."

"Then I don't see a problem with it." The words came out of his mouth suddenly. He could almost hear his father screaming at him to not trust the old woman, but his curiosity was too strong. Perhaps it's because there was something that wasn't him egging him on. He couldn't quite place his finger on it, but it felt like someone was prodding around in his head and pushing his hand towards the woman's knife.

Ratka cut his hand with her knife. She then held his hand over the water. The droplets of blood fell into the basin, one by one. The water turned a light pink. Ratka positioned Arthur's hands on the basin and put her hands on top of his. "Now, look into the water." She commanded.

Arthur peered into the basin. At first all he could see was water, but then it all rushed towards him at once. First it was pure darkness with a small form floating in it. It switched to another scene where Kali was lying on the floor. She couldn't seem to move and she looked like she was in terrible pain. Then it switched to him flinching away from a knife thrown inches away from his head. The image morphed to another one of a throne room. It was in Camelot. He sat in the throne where his father used to sit. Next to him was a woman. Her face was blurry but he could tell that she was beautiful. As fast as the visions came, they disappeared.

Arthur blinked at the empty basin. He wasn't completely sure if he actually saw the images or he just imagined them. Perhaps Ratka or Kali drugged him...

"Why was her face blurred?" Arthur asked suddenly. He realize that after everything he had seen, the blurry-faced woman bothered him the most. He wanted to know who she was. If he really did see the future, then that woman would be his queen. He knew it, and he had to know who she was.

Ratka smiled. "The fabric of the universe only lets you see what you're ready to see." She placed her wrinkled hand on the side of the young prince's face. "Soon it will all come together, I promise you." With Kali's help, Ratka stood up and went to her tent to peer into the water basin and her seeing crystal again.

Kali sighed. She wanted to ask what he saw, but there was an unspoken rule in the Solargarde that someone's future is theirs to share. Even if Arthur is not a member of the Solargarde, she would respect his privacy and not pry into what his future held. "It's getting late, we should get some sleep. We have a long day of traveling tomorrow."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Her bare feet rubbed against the rough ground. Pine needles stuck in between her toes. The woods were so dark at night that Kali could barely see in front of her. A lone wolf howled in the distance, but it was too far away to be a hazard.

"Christiane?" She called out. Kali looked around her. Not a soul was in sight. "Ratka?" Her voice echoed back to her in the woods. Her heart began to beat faster. "Anyone?"

Someone stepped out from behind a tree. The young sorceress tensed immediately. She held out her hand. "_Leoht_." A ball of light shot out from her hand. It cast long shadows along the trees, and Kali thought that it was creepier than before. She took a step forward to get a better look at the figure. _It was herself_. She had the same brown hair, the same clothes, and the same eyes, but she knew it wasn't really herself. She had a terrible smile on her face and her eyes looked like a shattered mirror.

She laughed, but it sounded murderous. "We're going to kill them." She chanted like a child.

"What are you talking about?" Kali said. She backed away.

"We're going to kill them." She repeated. The woman ran into the woods. Kali stood in shock for several moments before running after her. Kali wanted nothing more than to forget all about the woman who looks just like her, but she had to know what was happening. The trees blended together to form walls all around her. The world shifted so that she's standing in a throne room. Surrounding her were the dead bodies of the Solargarde with herself standing before them.

All of them were dead and died in brutal ways. Kali collapsed. Tear streamed down her face at the sight of her dead family. "What happened?" She croaked.

The other her sat in front of her with the same sick smile. "We killed them." She said finally. Suddenly her expression falls to a sad one to look like Kali's. "We killed them. It's our fault. It's _all_ our fault."

She felt something smack her face. Kali's eyes opened wide. The young sorceress bolted up with wide eyes. She scanned the tent for any sign of danger. All she saw was a concerned Arthur with only one shoe on. She found the other shoe on her side of the tent.

"Did you throw your shoe at me?" She asked in disbelief.

Arthur shrugged. "You were having a nightmare and for some reason I can't pass over to your side of the tent. I had to wake you up somehow." Arthur paused when he saw how pale she was. Her fists were clenched and there were dried tears on her cheeks. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She answered quickly. Arthur didn't look like he believed her, but he went back to sleep anyways. Kali, however, couldn't find it in herself to fall back asleep. She didn't think that she could ever go to bed after that horrible dream. It felt so real and that's what terrified her. Kali desperately hoped that it wasn't a warning of the future or anything like that because she wouldn't be able to go on if her chosen family died. She would die inside. They were her life-lines. Without them, she was nothing.

The night quickly turned to morning. Her eyes stayed open the entire time. And when Arthur woke up, she was instantly up and ready to help him out of the tent. Something in his eyes told her that he knew she didn't go back to sleep because of her nightmare, but he didn't say anything. She was extremely grateful for that. After a short breakfast of bread and a tea that Ratka made, they packed up and left. Arthur took his place on the wagon with his hands and legs tied behind his back as a precaution. Madelena and Abram sat next to him, asking him questions about what life was like in Camelot. He answered each one and the kids never stopped finding things to ask about. Nizana stopped fussing over them and let them talk to the prince, despite her dislike of him. She didn't trust him around the children. To be fair, none of the Solargarde trusted Arthur around the twins.

Livia frowned at the dark circles under Kali's eyes. "How much sleep did you get last night?"

Kali knew she wouldn't be able to lie to her fellow Solargarde sister, so she told a very short version of the truth. "I had a dream and I couldn't go back to sleep. I really don't want to talk of what it was about, though."

Livia nodded in understanding. "I understand. Dreams are a private matter. Perhaps you should tell Ratka, though."

Kali shrugged. She didn't think this was something worth bothering Ratka about. "Where are we staying next?"

"A couple of miles away from the border of Cenred's kingdom at Bottomless Lake. We will be across the border tomorrow."

Kali nodded. They were making very good time. Usually this sort of trip took several days on horses, but it only took them three days to reach the other kingdom. Kali thought that this must have been so because she saw Ratka casting a spell earlier. Maybe that is why they seem to fly through the forest.

Christiane halted the group. She told them to start up camp here and that the lake was only a short walk from there. They quickly set up the tents like clockwork. Each member could do it in their sleep if they had to. Kali untied Arthur and let him out of the wagon. He was relieved to not be sitting on the hard wooden planks anymore.

Kali looked at him oddly as they walked around the camp. "Why are you walking so weirdly?" She asked.

He scoffed at her. "You would walk weird if you had to sit in the back of that wagon for hours too."

She raised an eyebrow and motioned towards the two children running around the camp. "Madelena and Abram sat there too and they aren't walking like you."

Arthur paused. "Well, that's because they're children and more used to the wagon."

Kali stifled a laugh. "Or maybe it's because you're used to sitting on comfy chairs and satin sheets." Arthur ignored her.

The two found themselves in front of the lake. The water looked dark and murky, but nice. When Kali put her hand in the small ripples, she found that it was warm despite the chilly temperatures.

"We should've waited to bathe here." She mused.

Arthur leaned down and felt the water. He expected it to be much colder. "But then we wouldn't have had a waterfall to hide behind when the bandits come." He said sarcastically.

She slipped off her shoes and stepped in the water. It was very nice. Kali raised an eyebrow at Arthur's uncomfortable expression. "I'm just sticking my feet in. Don't worry, I'm not undressing." She reassured him. He seemed more at ease after that.

Arthur chuckled while Kali ran through the water. She looked so free and like she was having so much fun. He couldn't resist himself to splash her with the lake was enjoying the water so much that she wasn't ready when Arthur splashed her. The whole front of her dress was drenched. Kali couldn't help the smile that leaked onto her face. She bent over and splashed him back. Her smile grew when she saw that he was just as wet as she was.

Kali put her hands on her hips. "There, now we're both drenched."

Arthur smirked. He splashed her again and Kali splashed back. She squealed with delight when he somehow made her fall down, drenching her entire body.

Kali sat up in the lake with a grin. She held up her hands in surrender. "Fine! You win, for now." She said. Kali was about to say something else when she felt something wrap around her foot. Her eyes grew wide, but before she could make a sound, she was dragged under the water. The water clouded her vision and it slowly went black. Kali could've sworn she saw two yellow eyes swim in front of her, but something in the water made her pass out.

Arthur was just as surprised as Kali to see her go under the water. He immediately went into action. Being a hero was engraved in his soul. The prince dove under the water. It was incredibly dark but he could make out her figure in the murky water. She wasn't moving. Arthur swam faster than ever. He reached for her tiny wrist and dragged her up to the air. She was heavy in his arms, but Arthur was able to drag her to land. He laid her next to the lake. He could make out the shallow movements of her breathing but she wasn't waking up.

The prince didn't want to leave her, in case something happened, but he need to get help. He started to walk away but fell down in agony when a jab of pain rushed through his limbs. The spell was still there. He couldn't go too far from her. Arthur went to Kali's side again.

"Someone help!" He yelled. "Kali's hurt!"

Several moments later Chelsey and Jordyn rushed out of the trees. The two looked at Kali in horror.

"What did you do to her?" Chelsey cried out. She grabbed Kali's hand tightly while Jordyn said a spell. When Jordyn's eyes flashed yellow, Kali shot up abruptly. She leaned over and coughed up what felt like gallons of water from her lungs. Kali hurt so much and all she wanted to do was to go to sleep. "What did Arthur do to you?" Chelsey asked viciously. She glared at the prince. Her eyes flashed dangerously.

Kali shook her head, but stopped when she felt like she would pass out. "He didn't do anything it was..." She paused. The woman pulled up her dress and on her leg was a dark purple bruise in the outline of someone -or something's- hand. "It was whatever that did this to me."

Jordyn stared at it intensely then back to the lake. "We have to warn the others and tell them to stay away from the lake." The normally quiet sorceress said.

Whatever was in the lake, Kali knew that it wasn't good at all and that it might just be the death of her.


	7. Chapter 7: Guards

Sweat dripped down Kali's face but her whole body shook with shivers. She tried to speak but she couldn't move her mouth. All she could do was to lie down and fight through the pain. The memory of the lake was fuzzy. She barely remembered what happened, but she knew it was something bad. Something happened to her that made her feel this way. Her stomach was in knots and she often cried out in pain. Sometimes her head split in two from a sudden headache, but that was nothing compared to how terrible it was to not being able to move her own body.

Arthur was feeling pretty similar, but it wasn't nearly as bad. His stomach felt like it was recoiling and he felt so cold but was sweating at the same time. Fortunately for him, he could sit up and huddle next to the fire when the shivers became overwhelming. The prince thought that it must've been something in the water that made them sick because no one else entered the lake except for Kali and himself, at least he hoped so. Even though he was not particularly found of the magic-users, Arthur would feel bad if any of them felt the same torture they were going through.

"See, they are really bad." Chelsey told Ratka. She nervously clasped Jordyn's hand. "They have been like since we brought them back to camp."

Ratka leaned down and felt Kali's forehead. She flinched when she felt how cold she was. The elderly woman walked to Arthur and placed a hand on his forehead. He felt the same, but a tad warmer. That was a good sign that he would recover, but she was incredibly worried about Kali.

"What's happening to them?" Jordyn asked. She squeezed Chelsey's hand to give her a sense of comfort.

Ratka shook her head. "I have an idea but I must have a better look of the lake to be able to know for sure. Chelsey and Jordyn, please watch over these two. And if they get worst, find me immediately." The two woman nodded.

The elderly woman rushed off in the direction of the lake to figure out what happened. In her many years, she had only seen this once but in a different lake. It is possible that _they _were there too. That would explain why Kali and Arthur were sick, but she would have to be positively sure if she were to help them. She reached the edge of the shore. The water was murky and warm. That was the perfect conditions for the creatures.

"_Eowan hie æt ic._" She yelled. Her eyes flashed an incredibly bright yellow. The lake and trees vibrated with her power. The bugs fell silent and the wind stopped blowing. Ratka could feel the creatures resisting her but they rose to the surface of the lake against their will. Five sets of bright eyes appeared before her, then they dipped below the waves of the lake to escape her. It was just as she feared.

The monsters didn't have any particular name. They were called very differently by the people who lived around it: lake dwellers, sea serpents, or creatures of the depths. The creatures were once human beings who were purposefully drowned by their loved ones. It could be as old a person who had lived as long as Ratka or as young as the twins. Even the young could be vengeful spirits. The sea serpents devoted their entire existence to drowning people. They spared children, but often left them as orphans. It was sad, but she didn't feel any remorse for the monsters that nearly drowned Kali and succeeded in drowning many more. She found that justifying death with more death was idiotic and insulted the lives of innocent people.

They fed on the people that they kill. But one of the most dangerous things about them was that their skin released a substance that could cause a great sickness. If they didn't succeed in the drowning, they would succeed with the disease they gave their intended victim. There were a number of cures that worked, but the problem was getting it to the infected person quickly enough.

Ratka would have to act fast if she were to save Kali. Arthur would eventually be fine since he was only in the water and had no direct contact. His body would flush out the disease soon enough, but Kali didn't have much time to live since she was in direct contact with the creatures. Ratka returned as fast as she could towards camp. Eva ran to her with an anxious expression on her face. In her hands was a basket. She was ready to gather any time of medicinal plants that were needed.

"Eva, please gather the roots of a Dewberry plant and an extract from a Mulberry bush." Ratka told her. Eva nodded and immediately ran deep into the woods to find the necessary plants. Ratka entered her tent. Chelsey and Jordyn built a fire for the two because they felt so cold to the touch. Both Kali and Arthur were wrapped in several blankets but still were shivering violently.

Jordyn stood abruptly when Ratka entered. Chelsey was still sitting by Kali's side and trying to warm her. Arthur was sitting near the fire. He looked better than before but he was still shaking wildly.

"Do you know what did this to them?" Jordyn asked. She wrung her hands around the edge of her oversized shirt.

Ratka nodded. "It was a lake dweller, or also known as a sea serpent."

Jordyn's eyes grew wide. "I thought they were just a myth."

Ratka's face was gravely serious. "Many things considered a myth are true. We will travel again when Kali is well enough for the journey. Arthur will be fine by the sun rises."

Jordyn nodded in agreement. She left to gather water for the two. It was going to be a long night.

0o0o0o0o0o0

By the time morning came around, Arthur was healthy. He was incredibly tired from a night of shivers and hallucinations, but other than that he was like he was before the lake incident. Because of the spell, Arthur couldn't leave Kali's side. It was heart-wrenching to watch her writher in pain. Occasionally she would call out several names and that person would rush into the tent. But what really bothered him was that they would look at Kali like she was dying. Arthur knew that Ratka was working on some medicine for her so he didn't understand their sad expressions; she would be cured soon. And oddly enough, he was worried about her. Sure, she was technically his kidnapper, but she still was a good person. He didn't enjoy watching a nice person be in so much pain.

Ratka walked into the tent with a vial of milky white liquid. "Good morning, Arthur. Did you get any sleep after the illness passed?"

Arthur eyed the vial curiously. "No, I can't say I did."

The elderly woman hummed. "I imagine it must be hard after everything that happened." She tipped Kali's head back and poured the medicine down her throat. Arthur watched in fascination as Kali's shivering stopped. Her pained face smoothed out. She looked like she was sleeping peacefully. Ratka kissed Kali on the forehead. "She shall wake up in several hours. Would you like any breakfast?" She asked him.

The prince shook his head. "No... I'm fine, but thank you."

Ratka grunted as she sat down next to Kali. She held the young woman's hand with her own. "Alright, but it would be wise for you to gather your strength."

His face scrunched in distaste. He could still taste the lake water in the back of his throat. "Maybe later, but I don't think that I can eat anything."

The old sorceress took out her crystal from a small pouch. She peered into it to look for any sign of Kali's improvement. A flash of Kali running through the woods was enough to calm her worried mind. It would be terrible to have come so far only for it to end here. "Be sure that Kali eats when she wakes up. She has been through so much more than you have."

Arthur promised her that he would make her eat something. He stared at the woman oddly as she gazed into the crystal. The prince couldn't see what was so interesting about the rock. It did look like it was worth a bit. If she found the right person, Ratka could sell it for a small fortune. But was it really that fascinating? What also struck him as odd was that the old woman muttered things to herself. She sounded absolutely insane, and he didn't understand why the Solargarde would let an insane person lead them. Surely they must know about Ratka's mental state? He felt on edge just being in the same tent as her.

Ratka set down the crystal and peered at the man. Arthur's gut twisted at her all-knowing stare.

"You may ask me what you want to ask." She said slowly.

"Why are the leader of the Solargarde?"

The elderly woman chuckled. "You ask that because you think that I'm crazy, am I correct?" Arthur's eyes grew wide and he was about to tell her that wasn't it, but Ratka cut him off. "Do not apologize for being curious. I admit that my mind is not as sharp as it was when I was a young woman. When you have lived as long as I have and peered into the future as many times as me, then you would think that it's amazing I'm not more insane as I already am." Ratka laughed again. "I have been the leader of the Solargarde for may decades, Arthur. I have seen the sect rise and fall numerous times. I know what I'm doing."_  
_

"What about when you... pass? You don't have an heir." At least, Arthur couldn't recall if Ratka had any children.

The old woman shrugged indifferently. "The leadership of the Solargarde isn't based on who you were born to, but instead, what your skills are. Only the most qualified and gifted lead the sect. The role of the leader could easily switch between families each generation." She stood up slowly. "Now, how about I get you some soup? You look like you're starving."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Deep in the woods a group of Camelot guards traveled on horses. The leader was given specific instructions from the king to look for the Solargarde, along with other guards that were stationed near the borders. There was a large prize for bringing any of their members back to Camelot, and he intended to get it with only a small, purple flower. He could almost imagine the gold sitting before him.

That morning one of his scouts said that they saw smoke rising deep in the forest. Alistair was certain that it was the Solargarde. And if he was wrong, he would most likely catch several bandits. Either way, he would arrest someone who went against the crown and he and his men would be handsomely rewarded for their services. He halted his men at the sound of voices. Alistair dismounted his horse as quietly as he could. With slow cautious steps, he leaned over the small hill to get a better look. Down below he saw several women and two children. Next to them were sets of tents. When he saw the flicker of yellow in an elderly woman's eyes, he knew that he found the Solargarde.

A smile creeped onto his face. It was almost too easy. He was about to bring down the Solargarde, something Uther himself failed to do. Alistair knew that such a feat would bring him prestige and respect. If he played his cards right, he could rise in power so that he would never have to worry about cold winter nights or lack of food. His only worries would be if his servants were doing their jobs. It was a satisfying dream that he was determined to have.

Alistair walked far enough away from his men so that they wouldn't be able to see what he was doing. He threw the flowers into the air. The petals melted into a purple dust then disappeared in the wind, down to the Solargarde camp. All he had to do now was wait, and Alistair was a very patient man.

0o0o0o0o0o0

The hours passed by as a blur. People came into the tent, people she recognized, but she couldn't remember who. Sometimes they spoke to her in soft, soothing voices, and Kali wished she knew what they were saying. Despite not knowing what the sounds meant, Kali took a small bit of comfort in it. But as soon as she began to feel better, the pain would return.

She wasn't sure whether she was dreaming or awake. It made her head hurt even more than it already did to figure out whether she was trapped in her own head or if she was back to reality.

Kali jolted up with a start. Her head felt like it was about to explode and her skin felt clammy. The world around her tilted spun dangerously fast. To sum it up, Kali felt horrible. She could barely move her hands to pick up the cup of water. She would've spilt it everywhere if Arthur hadn't helped her keep it steady. It occurred to her that the prince could easily overtake her and escape while she was ill but it seemed that he hadn't came to that conclusion himself. _Good_ she thought. Kali wasn't sure if it was because he was too dim to see the perfect escape opportunity or because he was honorable enough to not leave a woman who was potentially on her deathbed. Her romantic mind preferred the second one.

Arthur held out a plate of bread and pheasant that was caught several hours ago. Kali refused.

"You have to eat something." Arthur reasoned.

Kali put her head in between her knees. "Just give me a minute to make everything stop spinning."

He frowned. His eyes caught the bruise on her ankle. It had mysteriously healed and was just a faint yellow. He guessed that it wasn't a bruise in the first place, but was instead where the creature infected her with 'the disease' as the Solargarde called it. But, he could be wrong. He was no physician.

Nizana gasped in pleasant surprise when she saw the Kali was awake. She went to her side with a smile. "Everyone will be so happy when I tell them that you're awake. We were so worried!" Nizana gushed. Her aging face lit up with such happiness that Nizana looked like a small child.

Kali forced a smile on her face but it looked more like a grimace.

Nizana laughed. She rubbed a wet cloth over her face to clean off the sweat in a motherly fashion. "Don't worry, you will feel fine in a bit. Now, get some rest." She gave Arthur a pointed look. "You too, Arthur. Both of you need to sleep. We will pack up camp tomorrow morning, so that is plenty of time to rest yourselves."

"Yes, mother." Kali said sweetly.

Nizana playfully glared at her. "You're lucky I'm _not_ your mother, otherwise I would tie you down if it meant keeping you in bed. But since I know that you most likely will want to walk around, just be careful. Don't roam too far. And _please_, don't go into the lake again."

Kali's face scrunched up in disgust. "I don't even want to see that lake again."

"Good girl." Nizana murmured. A loud scream echoed throughout the campsite. All three of them jumped in surprise.

Chelsey stomped into the tent, covered head to two with mud. She glared at Nizana. "Your children are evil! EVIL!" She yelled. Chelsey held up her cloak. "This was pure silk given to me by my father, and now it's ruined!"

Arthur, Nizana, and Kali covered their mouths to hide their laughter. "It's nothing that can't be cleaned with a little magic, dear. I'm sure if you ask nicely, Madelena would love to do the spell for you." Nizana tells her.

The once noblewoman crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the two snickering women. "That doesn't mean they aren't evil!"

Kali smiled. "Stop it, you know you adore them."

Chelsey grimaced. "They are lovable little devils." She confessed. Her face turned hard again. "I will get them back."

Kali's mouth fell open in shock while Nizana chuckled silently. Arthur leaned back and tried his best not to make Chelsey hate him more than she already did.

"They're just children!" Kali exclaimed.

Chelsey scoffed at her. "Then I'll show them some mercy, but I _will_ get them back. This cost my father a fortune! These sort of things were difficult to come by in Fraver." She turned on her heels and stormed out of the tent. Kali could hear Jordyn trying to calm her down, but her Solargarde sister couldn't say anything to make Chelsey stop her plans of revenge. Considering Chelsey's past acts of revenge were making tents collapse on themselves in the middle of the night only to set it back up in guilt or repeating whatever that person says, the twins had nothing to worry about.

Nizana muttered something about making sure that Chelsey isn't too rough on her children and left Kali and Arthur alone in the tent. The fire pit crackled with warmth and made Kali happy that someone was smart enough to start one. She was freezing. All she wanted now was to lie in the sun.

"Are you okay?" Kali asked Arthur. "You look really pale."

"You should look at yourself." He said. "The sickness was gone by the morning. Are you okay?"

She shrugged. "I still feel terrible but at least I'm alive." Kali struggled to stand up, and with Arthur's help, she was able to stand on her two feet. He slowly helped her out of the tent. She was still very weak but she was persistent in her want to go into the sun. They both then took a walk in the woods in the opposite direction as the lake.

0o0o0o0o0o0

After several minutes of walking, Kali was tired. She felt embarrassed when she asked Arthur for a break, but he didn't care that they only came a little ways before she her face flushed with exhaustion. He understood that she didn't recover immediately after she woke up and agreed that a break was needed.

Kali twirled a flower in between her fingers. It wasn't uncommon to find flowers in those parts of the woods, so she picked a few to braid into Madelena's hair later. The girl loved having her hair braided and Kali would be sure to have enough flowers left over to make a crown for Abram.

Arthur sat back against a tree and looked at the clouds through the leaves. He could catch an occasional glimpse but couldn't make out the shapes like he used to do when he was a child in Camelot.

Kali pursed her lips. "Do you want to go back to Camelot?"

He looked at her. "What?"

She lied down in the grass, still holding the flowers. "Do you want to go back to Camelot?" She repeated. "I can't imagine that you would be happy here since we did take you against your will."

Arthur sighed. To be honest with himself, he had enjoyed the general peace and quiet that came with being with the Solargarde. It was nice not having people run up to him, looking for instruction and giving him more duties to do for his father. It was a much needed break. And if it wasn't for the lake incident, Arthur would say that he had a generally nice time. "Yes, but... I can't believe I'm saying it, but I am somewhat happy. It's been a nice break from being Prince of Camelot."

Kali smiled. At least he wasn't suffering. "You know, you can leave any time you want, right?"

He raised an eyebrow. "I can if I want to feel incredible amounts of pain."

She choked back a laugh. "The spell is all in your head. It's all you that was giving yourself the pain."

Arthur's face fell slack with disbelief. "What?"

"It's not real. You believed that the spell would keep you from going to far, and that's what happened. Now that I told you, it won't work, but we all found it really funny." Kali told him. She sighed contently. "You're very easy to persuade. It shouldn't have worked as well as it did, but you really convinced yourself that the spell was real."

Arthur groaned. "So you're telling me that I could have left this whole time?" Kali nodded. "What about the tent? Was that all in my head too?"

"Nope." She quipped. "There were real charms to keep you from leaving."

Livia sprinted towards them with a look of pure fear on her face. She lifted Kali up so that she was on her feet. There was a large gash on the side of her face and her knives were missing. The most disturbing part of Livia's appearance was how shaken up she was. Just seeing her so scared made Kali terrified.

"Guards from Camelot are here! The captured everyone but us! We have to go!" Livia exclaimed. She tugged on Kali's hand to get her to move.

Kali's eyes grew wide. "How can they capture us? That's impossible!"

Livia shook her head. "No idea, but none of us can do any magic." Kali tried to do a simple spell but found that she couldn't. Her heart raced so fast that she thought she would drop dead. Livia glared at Arthur. "They're looking for _him_. Come on, Kali. We have to go!" She growled.

Kali gave Arthur one last glance before running into the woods with Livia. They ran so fast that her legs felt like spaghetti. It didn't help that she was still recovering. She knew that Livia was going slower on purpose and Kali cursed whatever creatures that were in the lake that made her this way. If the guards came after them, she would be useless in a fight without her magic. She wasn't sure if she was strong enough to run any further, let alone fight. Besides, it wouldn't matter. Kali forgot her blades at camp and she couldn't exactly fight armed men with only her fists.

So, they did the only thing that they could do at the moment. They ran far into the woods, praying that nobody was following them.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Arthur stared after the two women in shock. If he heard it correctly then he would be able to go back to Camelot. Back home. He felt relieved and disappointed at the same time. The prince knew that the moment he stepped foot into the city, the burden of being the future king would fall back on his shoulders. These past few days he hadn't felt the back-breaking responsibility for the first time in his life. Some part of him never wanted to leave, but he knew that it was his duty to return to his kingdom.

"There's another one!" He heard someone yell. Several men on horses surrounded him. They gasped when they saw Arthur. The guards got off of their horses and bowed in front of him.

"Prince Arthur, we are relieved to have found you." One of the men said. Arthur motioned for the men to rise. "Alistair will be pleased to tell the king that you are no longer missing." They guided him back to the Solargarde camp.

A knife of guilt twisted in Arthur's gut when he saw the state of the Solargarde. A man held a knife to Abram's throat, threatening to harm the boy if any of the Solargarde members tried anything. He had no idea why they weren't using magic. Arthur guessed it was because one of the guards was threatening the boy's life. All the women, except for Livia and Kali who escaped, were in a row with their hands tied to their back and tied to each other so that it would be difficult to run. Several of them had cuts and all of them shared a look of frustration.

Arthur frowned. "Who is in charge here?"

Alistair walked towards the prince with confidence. He bowed slightly then stood up straight. "I am. My name is Alistair. It is a pleasure to be in your presence, sire."

Arthur motioned towards the boy being held against the blade. "What is this?" He said angrily. Arthur was a man of honor. Seeing people attack those who can't defend themselves angered him. He could understand the knife being held against one of the women because he knew that they were very dangerous people who were capable of more than he knew. What he thought was very unjustified was that they were threatening the life of a _child_. It wasn't right, and Arthur was determined to fix the injustice.

Alistair regarded the boy coldly. "That is one of their children, sire."

"I see that." Arthur replied. "But why is there a knife to his throat?"

"We used it to calm down the Solargarde. They won't try anything when a knife is at its throat."

Arthur swallowed back his distaste. _It_? "_He_ is just a boy. Surely you can see how wrong that is." He pointed out.

Alistair raised an eyebrow. "Sire, may I speak freely?"

The prince stiffened at his words. "You may."

He took in a deep breath. His eyes turned into a coldness that Arthur had never seen in his life. To Arthur, that man was nothing more than a hallow shell. There wasn't any humanity that he could see. "That isn't a boy. It's a magic-user. It is just as dangerous as the rest of them." Alistair glared at the Solargarde that sat on the rough ground. Each woman glared right back, except for Madelena who was crying for her brother. Nizana tried to comfort her but the guards separated the two on purpose.

"That boy is not dangerous!" Arthur nearly growled. He pinched the bridge of his nose with his finger. "Put him with the others. You will not put a knife on either of the children."

"But, sire... They will not cooperate with us if put it with the others."

"He is not an it!" Arthur yelled. The guards fell into a shocked silence at the prince's outburst. Arthur sucked in a deep breath to calm himself. He hated how Alistair treated the Solargarde like they weren't even people. "If you must, then put the knife to one of the older women, but leave the children alone." When Alistair made no move, Arthur took matters into his own hands. "That is an order." Alistair nodded and made one of the men take Nizana. She mouthed a 'thank you' and willingly let the man put the knife against her throat. She was relieved that one of her children wasn't under a direct threat of death anymore, but that didn't mean she was happy to have a hard piece of metal digging into her.

"I will send word to the king to let him know of your arrival." Alistair said. He sent a scout ahead of the group so that word would reach Camelot before the others did.

The group left several hours later. Arthur kept to the front and tried not to look at the members of the Solargarde otherwise he would feel guilty. He understood that they committed crimes against Camelot and needed to face their punishment, but it never once passed his mind how his father would treat them. If he had known, maybe he wouldn't have let the guards take them to Uther. If he had known... maybe he would've helped them escape.


	8. Chapter 8: Tiara

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Kali stumbled. She held herself up by clinging to a small tree. The woman couldn't run any longer. Her head was spinning and her lungs were on fire. Though Livia wasn't sick, she felt tired too and needed a break. The two sorceresses leaned on each other for support. Tears clung to each of their eyes, but didn't fall. There wasn't enough time to cry. They had to get away in order to save their family.

They had no idea if the guards were following them, but they both assumed that Arthur told the guards about how they got away. For all they know, the guards could be galloping after them on their horses. Kali hoped that their family wasn't dead. Livia assured her that the others were merely tied up, so that could mean that the guards would take them somewhere else. Most likely Camelot. She imagined that Uther would want to make a grand show with their executions.

"We need help. We can't do this alone." Kali said with a breathy voice. She placed a hand on her heart to steady herself. "What about the druids?"

Livia shook her head. "We never had a chance to find them when you three were arrested. Plus, they won't fight unless it's their own that's on the pyre. And even then they're still hesitant." Livia scowled at the ground. "They have no spines at all. I doubt they even know how to use their magic for combat."

Kali bit her lip in concentration. Her hope was shrinking very quickly. "What about the other sects? Maybe a couple of them survived the Great Purge. If any of them survived, it would be the Trikong. They were just as powerful as the Solargarde."

Livia shook her head again, much more forcefully this time. "No, Ratka said that they were all gone other than us and the Druids." Kali felt her hope fall completely. For some reason neither of them could use their magic and they couldn't find anyone with magic to help them. No one would help them. Unless... then it hit her.

"The High Priestess!" Kali exclaimed. "Ratka said that there is a new High Priestess. She will help us."

Livia was about to say no, but then she realized that it could help. The fire lit behind her eyes again. "She will have to!" She grabbed Kali's hand. "We are not far. We will reach there by sundown if we hurry and don't stop."

0o0o0o0o0o0

They were much closer to Camelot than Arthur realized. In fact, the reached the castle by sundown, which was very surprising since he traveled for several days with the Solargarde. Then, he realized that they must not have taken a straight route to Cenred's kingdom, and instead cut all the way across the kingdom. It would've been a very clever plan to throw Uther off of the Solargarde's path if the guards hadn't found them. The king would've been looking in the completely opposite place than where they actually were.

A servant rushed over with his head bowed. He grabbed the reigns of Arthur's horse and led it to the stables when he hopped off. The prince took in Camelot. Though he was only gone for a few days, it seemed as if the kingdom fell into a deep depression. Everything was darker and the people were sluggish, like they were moving through. But when news spread of the prince's arrival, the citizens' faces lit up again.

"Arthur!" Morgana exclaimed. Arthur turned just in time to see Morgana rushing towards him in a way that was unladylike for a woman of her class. She hugged him tightly. Arthur was startled at first but eventually hugged her back. Her eyes grew wide when she saw the Solargarde tugged behind like animals. "Oh my... Arthur, what happened to them?"

His lips formed a tight line. "The guards were cruel to them. They... didn't even speak to them like they were people."

Her eyes narrowed on Alistair and his men. She didn't even have to know what they did exactly, she knew that she hated them. However, Uther came and commended them on their bravery and devotion to the crown. Morgana felt repulsed that Uther had actually congratulated those horrid people. Morgana released the prince and stood off to the side respectfully. Arthur straightened up when his father walked over to him.

Uther embraced his son in a rare hug. "You are alright, I assume?"

Arthur nodded. "Yes, the Solargarde treated me well, oddly enough."

Uther frowned at Arthur's comment. He placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "I promise you that they will receive the punishment that they deserve." Arthur felt slightly uneasy at his father's words but quickly pushed that feeling down. They _were_ criminals. As long as they had a fair trial, then they would have to deal with the punishment dealt to them. His father would be fair in his decision.

"Bring them to the throne room. They shall face judgement immediately." Uther commanded.

0o0o0o0o0o0

The guards led the prisoners up to the throne room. Uther sat down at his throne with Morgana and Arthur at his side. Uther made no attempt to hide his hatred for the Solargarde. They defied him, _the king_. They questioned his power, and they would deeply regret that. Uther would make sure of it. Even as he peered at the children he felt no remorse. His mind was already set, but he had to at least give them an appearance of a trial. The law of Camelot was that everyone had the right to a fair trial, but what was fair differed greatly on who you asked.

He stared at the elderly woman. Uther almost smirked when he saw that he gaze unsettled the woman. "Brielle, you are older than I remember." Uther commented.

Ratka looked up at the king. A deep rage filled her eyes that was unfamiliar to the rest of the Solargarde, but Uther knew that look well. "Yes. Many things have changed over the years." She hissed. "But I see that your ignorance is not one of them."

He drummed his fingers on his throne. "I take it that you no longer go by Brielle anymore. What name have you chosen now, sorceress?" Ratka didn't answer. "You will answer your king!" He yelled. Everyone in the room flinched at his outburst. Uther was a short-tempered man, but never this short-tempered. But he couldn't help it. _She_ was in here. Her being in Camelot angered him. Just her breathing sent him into small fits of rage.

Ratka's lips curled in disgust. "You, Uther, are not my king. You have never been and you never will be."

Uther growled quietly. His fingers drummed more violently on his throne. "The Solargarde has questioned my power and performed magic in Camelot. You have kidnapped my son and threatened his life, not to mention the numerous other laws that were broken. With great pleasure I condemn you all to death at the pyre!"

Ratka glared at the king. "Even the children?"

"Yes, even the children."

"You monster! Where is your morality?" Nizana cried out. She struggled against the ropes. "They're just children!"

Uther's mouth formed a tight line. "Take them down to the cells."

Arthur found himself disagreeing with his father. "Father, they are just children. Perhaps it would be best-"

Uther held his hand up for silence. Arthur reluctantly bit his tongue and said nothing more on the subject. Morgana, however, was outraged and wasn't afraid to speak against the king. "How can you sit there and send two young children to their deaths?" Morgana exclaimed. "They're so young and don't deserve to die like this. Please, Uther..."

The king motioned the guards to take the women away. He turned slowly to Morgana and his expression reminded her of a snake. "The decision has been made and you will accept it." He told her with a stoic expression.

"But-"

Uther stood up abruptly. He clenched his fists to keep himself from losing the internal fight to his anger. "Go to your room and do not leave until the executions are over. I will not hear you speak of this matter ever again."

Morgana's eyes grew wide. "Please have some sense-"

"Morgana!" Uther yelled. The noblewoman flinched and shrunk away from the king. "Leave, now. _I_ am the _king_. You will not go against me again. Do I make myself clear?"

She nodded curtly and rushed out of the throne room with her maid, Gwen.

Uther turned to his son and was shocked at the sight. He saw the disbelief in his eyes and he could hear Arthur's hatred of his decision despite no words being said. It was just as the king feared. The Solargarde did something to his son. This wasn't the Arthur that he raised. Despite only being gone for a few days, he changed. This wasn't the man that Uther knew. It was then that Uther realized that he couldn't control his son's thoughts anymore, and that made him nervous.

"Father, Morgana has a point." Arthur said slowly, clearly holding back everything he wanted to say.

Uther squeezed his eyes shut. "Leave me." Arthur nodded, knowing that disobeying his father would only irritate him more. But before Arthur left the throne room, Uther said one last thing to him. "I will not tolerate you disrespecting my decisions either." Arthur quickly left the throne room after that. Uther sat down on his throne and began to make preparations for the execution. It would be a grand event. Every sorcerer will know that Camelot is capable to wiping them off the face of the earth.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Livia and Kali arrived at the Isle of the Blessed several hours after sun down. They had to stop more than they wanted to, but they couldn't travel any faster when Kali was in the condition she was in.

The ruins stood before them and were dull like a faded memory. Kali could make out what was once there, but it was worn with years of damage. The sorceress tried to imagine what it looked like. She knew that it was once teeming with life but her imagination wasn't powerful enough to break past the crumbling rocks. The air shifted around them from relaxed to a tense atmosphere when they stepped inside of the ruins. Kali's stomach filled with butterflies and her heart pounded faster.

"Hello?" She called out. Nobody answered. Livia shrugged and the two women walked further into the ruins. "Please, is anyone here?"

A woman with a dark cloak stepped out from behind a pillar. She pulled down the hood to reveal a head of blonde hair and a stern face. "Leave." She spoke sharply.

Livia took a step forward. The woman tensed and her hands flew out in front of her but she said nothing. "Are you the High Priestess?" Livia asked timidly. The woman didn't answer. Her eyes pierced each one of the women as if trying to figure out their motives just by staring at them.

"If you are," Kali started, "we need your help. Our family was taken by Camelot guards."

The woman's eyes darkened at the mention of Camelot. "My name is Morgause and I am indeed the High Priestess. Come with me." Morgause ushered Livia and Kali further into the ruins. They weaved through the crumbling rocks until they reached one of the few parts of the ruins that hadn't crumbled to pieces. Inside there was a small fire in an old fireplace and a wooden table with several chairs surrounding it. It was homey. "Please sit."

Livia and Kali quickly took a chair around the table. Morgause sat across from the pair.

"We are from the Solargarde." Livia explained. She rolled up her sleeve to show the charms on her arm as proof.

Morgause's eyes grew wide. She gently ran her hand over each charm. "I've never seen charms put on someone like this. How did you do it?"

Kali shook her head. "It's an old Solargarde secret. One that nobody else can know, not even the High Priestess." Morgause nodded in understanding though Kali could see her curiosity.

The High Priestess looked between the two. "Forgive me if I'm rude, but how is it possibly for Camelot guards to capture any member of the Solargarde?"

"Our magic is gone. It just disappeared." Kali told her. Her voice was quiet and sad. It hadn't even been a day and Kali missed her magic. She felt helpless, but deep down she knew she was anything but.

Morgause frowned. She took each of their hands in her own. Her head rolled back and she muttered several incantations under her breath. Suddenly, she snapped back to stare at both of them. "It was the Purple Rose that did this to you."

Livia's eyebrows came together. "The Purple Rose? What is that?"

"Haven't you ever heard the children's rhyme?" Kali asked her. Livia shook her head. "Well it goes like this, '_Purple Rose, Purple Rose, that grows in perfect rows. It killed the Queen, it killed the Queen. The world is now forever clean_'"_  
_

Livia's eyes grew wide. "That's the most twisted children's rhyme that I have ever heard."

Morgause nodded solemnly. "It was created after the queen from the Bloody Conquer was killed. Those flowers killed the most powerful sorceress in existence, so there's no telling what the flower can do."

"Like take away our magic?" Kali asked. Morgause nodded again. Kali felt like her heart broke in two. Her magic couldn't be gone. It just couldn't.

Morgause saw the clear distress on the their faces. "I don't think that it is permanent." She rushed out. Kali looked up from her lap with hope in her eyes. "When it leaves your system then your magic will return. Maybe in a couple of days."

"We don't have a couple of days!" Kali blurted out. She stood up abruptly. "Our family is going to be killed and we have to do something _now_. Please Morgause. You have to help us." She begged. Livia pulled on Kali's dress to have her sit down, but Kali refused. She couldn't stand to sit down and relax when her loved ones were preparing for their death. It didn't seem right to her.

"I can't help you." Morgause said after a long pause. Kali was tempted to force her to help them, but she doubted that she would be able to force a High Priestess to do anything. "But, I have something that can." She stood up and left the room. Kali and Livia stayed where they were, staring at the archway that Morgause went through. She came back with something covered in red silk in her hands. She set it on the table. Morgause's eyes gleamed mischievously.

"What is it?" Kali asked. She found herself drawn to whatever was under the fabric. Her hand reached for the silk and Morgause made no attempt to stop her. Kali pulled back the thin fabric to reveal a silver tiara with one red ruby in the middle. It looked like something from a dream. The tiara looked to be worth a fortune, but that wasn't the most interesting part of it. It seemed to glow in the dimly lit room. The tiara vibrated with raw power.

"This was worn by the queen herself. She had it made several years into her reign. It is said that it contains pure magic inside of it." Morgause said quietly. "If that is true, then you should be able to wear it and save your family."

Livia's face fell into shock. "And you're giving this to us?"

Morgause smiled. "More like loaning it to you. Only a descendent of the queen is able to wear it."

Kali and Livia frowned. "It's now true." Livia told the High Priestess. "None of the Solargarde are descendants of her. It was made up to make people fear us."

"Maybe so, but just try to put it one and we'll see." Morgause said in a stern tone that dared either of them to argue with her.

Livia reached for it. She winced like the tiara was burning her fingers, but she didn't say anything. Livia attempted to put it on her head, but it flew from her hands and back to the table with a loud clang. Morgause frowned. Now it was Kali's turn, but after seeing what happened with Livia, she didn't think that it was a good idea to try. She hesitantly reached for the tiara. It was cold to the touch. Her hands buzzed with energy coming from the tiara. She slowly brought it to her head. With shaking hands she set it on the top of head. A wave of power flowed slowly over her from her head to her toes. A content sigh left her mouth. It felt... right.

Livia smirked. "Why didn't you tell me you are a descendant of the queen from the Bloody Conquering?"

Kali grinned. "I didn't know. Can I do magic now?" She asked Morgause.

Morgause shrugged. "Well, honestly I've never seen someone be able to put on the tiara. Just try and we will see if it works."

Kali closed her fist and held it in front of her. Her eyes flashed a bright gold. She slowly unclenched her fist. A small bird fluttered out of her palm and flew around the room. It finally perched on the table, peering up at Kali with its little eyes. Kali held out a finger and the bird hopped from the table to her hand. "It worked." Kali mused with wonder.

Morgause reached into her cloak and handed Kali a piece of worn paper. She looked at it carefully. It was a spell.

"It's an old spell used by High Priestesses when they wished to return to the Isle of the Blessed. It will bring you and your family back safely. You have to hurry if you are to reach Camelot in time."

Kali and Livia were about to leave, but Kali turned back to the High Priestess one last time. "Thank you, for everything."

Morgause smiled. "It was nothing. It was my pleasure to help the Solargarde. Bring them back safely."

"We will." Kali said firmly. And that was exactly what Kali was going to do. She was prepared to do whatever it took. Even if it meant abandoning all morals. She was going to save her family, and nobody was going to get in her way.


	9. Chapter 9: The Second Escape

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Ten minutes after they left the Isle of the Blessed, Kali and Livia realized how tired they really were. After the events that happened, they had barely any energy to travel all the way to Camelot, but they had to press on. Neither of them would have been able to live with themselves if any members of the Solargarde died.

Kali sighed heavily. "We can't walk all the way to Camelot."

Livia grit her teeth together. "We don't have any other choice." She responded quickly.

Kali stayed quiet. There wasn't much that could be done other than press on. She stared up at the sky while she walked. Her mother, though having no magic herself, was obsessed with everything 'other worldly', as she described it. After several visits from a traveling fortune-teller in a gypsy wagon, her mother became convinced that the stars held all the answers to their problems. Her mother said that Kali was an Aquarius and would try to tell her fortune based off of that. Kali didn't know what that meant except for that it was a constellation. Normally she would ignore her mother's ramblings about astrology and tarot cards, but now she wished that she had. It seemed odd to Kali now that she thought her mother's interests to be too far-fetched when Kali had magic which was something many people said was unnatural.

Her father thought that her mother's interest in the stars and fate was endearing. He encouraged her while the townspeople thought that she was insane calling people weird names based off of their birthdate. They were an odd couple, but they were deeply in love, even in the later part of their lives. Kali hoped that she would find a love as strong as theirs one day. But since being in the Solargarde limited her options, she was sure that she would die without getting married. When she thought about it, Kali didn't mind never having a husband. All she needed was her family.

A whinny of a horse broke Kali out of her thoughts. She turned her head towards the source of the sound. It wasn't too far.

"A horse is faster than walking." Kali mused. They walked through the trees. In the outskirts of the woods there was a farm with a fenced in area and a chestnut colored horse standing in the center. There were a small flicker of a candle in the window of the farmhouse, but no other signs of people.

Livia hopped the fence gracefully with Kali quickly following. Livia smirked. "Yes, a horse is much faster."

Kali ran her hand over the horse's nose. It made a sound that sounded affectionate, or at least she hoped it was. It nuzzled Kali gently.

"Stop where you are!" A gruff voice commanded. They turned around to see an old man with a beard so long that it was the length of the hair on Kali's head. Each strand was as silver as the moon. His legs shook slightly under his weight but his grip on his knife was steady. "What are you doing around my animals?" He growled.

Livia moved to take out a dagger, but Kali stopped her. She took a step towards the man who backed away slightly.

"Sir," she said politely, "we need a horse. Can we borrow yours? We promise to bring it back."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Are you insane?" He shouted. "You aren't taking anything of mine. Now, scram before I call the guards from the village!"

Kali's lips formed a straight line. "We are from the Solargarde. You _will_ let us use your horse." She said firmly. The man's eyes widen. He looked like he wanted to fight them, but he lowered his knife with a defeated expression. He turned around and went back into his house. Kali could see him staring that them through the window.

"It's moments like these that I love being in the Solargarde." Livia said dreamily as she mounted the horse. Kali followed suit. Several seconds later they were heading towards Camelot as fast as the horse could go.

0o0o0o0o0o0

They arrived at Camelot that morning. The streets were eerily quiet. Kali assumed that it was because they were getting ready for the executions. Kali got off the horse that she and Livia stole several hours ago. Kali placed the tiara on her head. Power flowed from her head down to her toes. She muttered a spell so that horse would run back home. Kali then carefully stowed the tiara back into her cloak.

"Let's hurry." Livia said while gesturing towards the castle.

Kali and Livia ran through the streets silently. Occasionally they saw people working, but Camelot was relatively empty. Kali thought that it was both a good and bad thing. It was good because they could easily run through the streets without anyone stopping them. It was bad because she knew that they were going to be watching the execution. The more people, the harder it would be to save her family. Even with magic it might be difficult.

They reached the gates of the castle. The citizens of Camelot gathered around a huge wooden pyre with all the members of the Solargarde in the center. Each of them had their hands tied behind their backs and an expression of pure terror. Her heart jumped out of her chest to see them so frightened. She moved forward but someone grabbed her arm. She whipped around to see Arthur staring at her with wide, surprised eyes. Livia took out her knife and held it to his neck.

Arthur was unfazed by the weapon. He doesn't even seem to notice it. "What are you doing here?" He asked with disbelief.

Kali tried to yank her arm away, but his had a steel grip on her. "Let go of me, Arthur. Livia will hurt you if you don't." Kali told him. Her eyes flickered towards Livia. She knew that Livia would hurt him, and she didn't want that. Arthur had been kind to her and she would prefer for him not to die. If the circumstances were different, maybe the sorceress would've claimed them to be friends.

"What are you doing here?" He repeated. His eyes were wide, as if he couldn't believe that she was actually here in Camelot.

Livia growled at him like an animal. "Saving our family. I _will_ hurt you if I have to."

He didn't even notice Livia speaking to him. "Do you know how dangerous it is-" Arthur started but Kali interrupted him.

"Let me go." She commanded. Her eyes pleaded with Arthur to release her before Livia became impatient and stabbed him. The look in her eyes reminded Arthur of the doe like look she gave him the first time they met. "Just let us save our family."

He fell silent. Suddenly Arthur released her arm and watched her run away from him for the third time since they've met.

"Citizens of Camelot!" Uther's voice boomed around the square. He glared disdainfully down at the scene. "Yesterday Camelot won a major victory against the treacherous Solargarde. Today we shall put an end to their terror! Light the pyre!"

Kali placed the tiara on her head. The familiar feeling of power flowing through her rushed from her head to toes. Several citizen stared at her with amazement. They weren't sure if she was a noble woman but they made room for her as if she was one. Kali would've felt it amazing to see the growing respect on the citizen's faces just because of the tiara on her head if she wasn't so worried for her family. A guard moved to light the pyre, but Kali quickly put out the flames with magic.

"Sorcery!" A woman screamed. The look of awe is quickly replaced with fear and confusion. The crowd of people moved quickly to get away from Kali, all of them careful not to get within several feet of her. Guards closed in on Livia and Kali with their swords drawn. They were scared to go any closer because of her magic. One brave guard jabbed their sword at Livia who easily blocked it with her small knife.

Livia motioned Kali to hurry up with the spell. She squeezed her eyes shut on concentrated on her magic that pounded desperately in her soul. Kali sucked in a deep breath, muttered a small prayer to any god listening, then shouted the spell. "_Ieg abrecan se æt wit_!" The air swirled around the members of the Solargarde, leaving the guards and citizens stunned.

Kali felt like she was being squeezed like a grape. Her chest felt crushed and her blood rushed to her head. Not only that but the world blended together in a tornado of colors. She couldn't make sense of anything but at least she could sense the faint presences of the Solargarde around her. Then the whirlwind of confusion stopped. Kali fell back to the hard ground. For a second she thought that she was still in Camelot, but when she saw the crumbling ruins, she knew that they were safe. Finally, they were together and safe again.

Livia let out an excited whoop from her spot on the ground. "You did it, Kali!"

Brandi helped Ratka stand up. The elderly woman eyed the tiara on Kali's head with shining eyes. She smiled. "I haven't seen that in a long time. I'm glad that it was of use to you."

Kali took off the tiara thoughtfully. "You've seen it before?" Ratka nodded but didn't bother to explain where she had seen it. Kali wanted to pry but she thought that the old woman wouldn't appreciate her asking about her private life.

Madelena and Abram squealed in delight. The children bounced on Kali with smiling faces.

"We knew you guys would save us!" Madelena exclaimed. Abram nodded his head so violently that his black hair covered his eyes.

Nizana hugged her two children and Kali. "Thank you so much." She glanced towards Livia. "Both of you. We would be dead without you two."

Livia shook her head. "It was mostly Kali who did all the work. She happens to be related to the queen from the Bloody Conquering so she could wear the tiara."

Margie raised a red eyebrow. "Hmm... so I guess the rumor does have some truth to it."

The Solargarde fell silent at the sight of Morgause staring at them with a smile on her face. She gracefully walked towards them with her head held high. Livia and Kali bowed their heads in respect for the High Priestess. Ratka did the same, which didn't surprise Kali since the she was the one who knew about the new High Priestess in the first place.

Morgause took in the sight of each member of the Solargarde. They were dirty from a night spent in the cells. "I'm glad that Livia and Kali brought you back safely. My name is Morgause and I am the High Priestess of the Old Religion."

The children stared at her with wonder while the rest of the Solargarde bowed like Kali, Livia, and Ratka. Kali held the tiara out in front of her towards the woman. "You probably want this back." She mumbled. Morgause placed the tiara in the silk cloth and tucked it into her robe for her to put back later.

"Thank you." She said. Morgause gestured towards the ruins. "Come. I have meals and tea ready for you. I'm sure your time in Camelot was incredibly stressful."

Madelena nodded violently. "It was! They didn't even feed us." As if on cue, the girl's stomach rumbled.

The High Priestess laughed. "Don't worry, I'm sure I have enough food prepared to keep you full for years!"

The little girl and her brother shouted in delight. The two children ran ahead with smiles on their faces. The Solargarde laughed at their eagerness but they were also as excited as the twins to have a proper meal.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Arthur had never seen his father so furious in his entire life. The pure rage coming from his father was enough to make the prince incredibly concerned for everyone's safety. He knew that the anger coming off of the king would most likely be taken out on the citizens of Camelot or the guards that let the two sorceresses in Camelot in the first place. Or maybe, on the prince himself. He couldn't see his father calming down after this, and someone will be punished for Kali and Livia's actions.

Arthur felt a slight pinch of guilt for letting Kali and Livia go through with their plan to escape with the rest of the Solargarde, but he also was relieved that his father never got the chance to send them to their deaths. They had treated him fairly well considering that it was a kidnapping, so he felt that death was a harsh punishment. Sure, Arthur accepted the fact that the Solargarde was made up of law breakers and he knew that they had to be punished. But if he had his way, he wouldn't have condemned them to death. It just seemed wrong to kill an entire family together like that.

Uther pounded his fist on this throne. "How could this have happened?" He shouted. Arthur flinched at his harsh voice. "How did they get in the city?"

Arthur bowed his head slightly. "Father, there were hardly any guards patrolling the perimeters of the city."

The king narrowed his eyes at his son. He clenched his fist and the veins in the king's forehead looked like they were about to burst. "As Prince of Camelot the patrolling of the guards falls under your list of responsibilities! There were plenty of guards! Why weren't there any at the entrances?" He yelled.

Arthur opened his mouth to respond that it was in fact Uther's fault that there wasn't enough guards. He was too paranoid of the Solargarde escaping that three-fourths of the guards in Camelot were in the square or guarding the area right next to it, leaving barely any men to watch who was leaving or entering the area. But, considering that Uther was his king and father, he chose not to share his thoughts. "I don't know, father." He answered carefully.

"You don't know? You don't _know_?" Uther seethed. He pinched his nose with his fingers. Uther took in a deep calming breath, but he still was furious. "Arthur, you are responsible for the search of the Solargarde. Do _not_ disappoint me." Arthur nodded. Uther waved his hand in dismissal. "You may leave."

Arthur quickly exited the room. He breathed in deeply to calm himself. Arthur was very unsure of his feelings on this situation. A part of him wanted to leave the Solargarde alone. He knew that if Camelot left them alone, they would leave Camelot alone. Plus, they weren't a problem until recently when Kali, Nizana, and Sarah were arrested. In fact it was like the Solargarde never existed before the first incident. On the other hand, he felt duty to his father to carry out the punishment, to find the law breakers. He knew that he should feel anger towards them -to hate them even- but he couldn't find it in himself to do that. They were just protecting their own.

The young prince wasn't exactly sure where he was going. He was waking through a haze of his thoughts. In fact, he was so distracted that he didn't see Gwen until he knocked her over, sending Morgana's clean laundry flying everywhere.

"Oof." Gwen picked herself up from the floor. She straightened her dress and fixed her hair that tumbled out of control during her fall.

Arthur immediately knelt to help her pick up the clothes. "I'm so sorry, Guinevere. I was... distracted." He rushed out.

Gwen smiled a kind smile that she constantly wore on her face. "It's no problem at all. You looked like your head was in the clouds, so I don't blame you for not seeing me." She teased.

Arthur grimaced. He helped her pick up the last piece of fabric and placed it in Gwen's arms.

"Thank you, sire. I appreciate your help." She said politely. Gwen frowned slightly at Arthur's expression. "Are you alright?"

He nodded. "I-I'm fine. Just thinking."

Her eyebrows came together. "Is it anything that I can help with? Perhaps I can help you organize your thoughts."

Arthur shook his head immediately. "No, it wouldn't be proper to do that. Plus, I wouldn't want to worry you with it."

Gwen raised an eyebrow at the prince. She hoisted the clothing into the basket so that she could get a better grip on it. "You don't have to give me the specifics. I find that talking out my problems helps me make up my mind. It makes things a little clearer. But if you don't want to, then I understand." She turned to walk away but Arthur stopped her. He had a sheepish look on his face from having to ask a servant for help, but Arthur was honest enough to admit that he needed it at that moment.

He rubbed the back of his head with one hand. "Do you think that I could... um just talk about it for several minutes with you? But if you have to return to Morgana... then I... ahh understand."

Gwen shook her head with a grin. "No, it's no trouble. She isn't expecting me until later in the afternoon." She gestured towards the basket of clothes. "I was just getting a head-start on my chores."

Arthur leaned against the wall, trying to find a place to begin. "So... there is a woman..." He started slowly.

Gwen held back a laugh. "Many of the greatest romance stories start this way."

The prince blushed immediately, which looked out of place on the prince's normally tough exterior. "No!" He burst out. Arthur cleared his throat awkwardly. "No, it's not like that. Plus, there wouldn't be any chance of anything happening between us. It just wouldn't be right."

"Well, why not? Love is love." Gwen said wisely.

Arthur's blush turned deeper and Gwen was having a hard time holding back her laughter. "It's not love or anything like that but..."

Gwen smiled. "But you care for her?"

"You know, maybe this wasn't the best idea." Arthur said. He was about to dash away from the servant but Gwen's words stopped him.

"No, please don't. I won't interrupt anymore." Gwen said. She straightened out her dress then leaned against the wall next to the prince. "I promise."

Arthur sucked in a deep breath. "So, the woman. To be honest she is the most intriguing woman that I have ever met. I'm not entirely sure if it's in a good way or a bad way. But anyways, she's... part of a group that is..." He paused, trying to think of the right words. Arthur didn't want to tell Gwen that Kali was part of the Solargarde. That would only send her running towards his father with fear. "Um... she is part of a group that practices sword-fighting for women." He lied.

Gwen pursed her lips at his obvious lie. "So, she's a woman who can defend herself." She mused.

Arthur chuckled. "She sure can. I feel sorry for anyone that wrongs her or the group. But, you see, it's not exactly socially acceptable for a woman to know how to sword fight, and everyone in the group is a woman. Before I met her, I thought that women shouldn't sword fight and that it was wrong. Very, very wrong-"

"But Morgana knows how to use a sword, sire." Gwen interrupted, knowing full well that sword fighting means something completely else in this context. What Arthur meant by it, Gwen didn't know, but she reasoned that it was something big to have to lie about it.

Arthur's eye grew wide. "Yes, ahh... but that's not the point. She is a kind woman. She showed me respect but at the same time didn't care about my title as the Prince of Camelot." He sighed. "It was incredibly relaxing to not have all that responsibility piled up on me when I was around her. And then I met her group. They were one large family, each of them... fighting with swords constantly. After spending some time with them I came to the conclusion that maybe not all women sword-fighters were as bad as I originally thought. But..."

"But what?" Gwen pushed.

"But my father hates women sword-fighters. He would... lock them up for forever if he found them and would want me to do that also, but I don't know what to do. I don't want to hurt them in any way but I also don't want to go against my father. I'm confused." Arthur confessed. To his relief his mind felt less muddled and the thoughts stopped weighing down on him. He was thankful that he was able to share this thoughts with someone, even if he told an occasional white lie.

"Hmm..." Gwen hummed. She looked up at the prince. "My advice is to go with your heart. If you don't want to arrest them up for 'sword-fighting', then don't."

Arthur looked at the servant with a bewildered expression. "But my father-"

"Please forgive me for being so blunt," Gwen said without any sign of actually being sorry, "but Uther will not be king for forever. Would you rather sit on that throne proud that you stood up for what you believed in or ashamed that you weren't brave enough to do what you thought right. _Even_ if that means standing up to your father." She looked at him softly while Arthur soaked in her words. "Sometimes the things that are right are not always the easiest." Gwen picked up the basket of clothes and walked down the corridor.

"Thank you, Guinevere." Arthur called out.

Gwen smiled. "It was not trouble, sire."

"Oh, you haven't seen Merlin by any chance?" He asked her.

She laughed. "No. I just hope that he isn't at the tavern again, for his sake." She responded.

Arthur grit his teeth. "He better not be." Then Arthur went off to find his manservant to wherever he went off to. And when he finally did, Arthur made sure to give Merlin enough chores to last him the whole day.


	10. Chapter 10: Shifting of Powers

**Thank you for your support! xoxoxo There isn't much Arthur in this update. But don't worry, he will be joining us in the next update!**

**lilnightmare17: I'm happy that you're enjoying it! I just couldn't let them die like that. Here's the update!**

* * *

Kali ran through the ruins as fast as she could. Sarah just gave her news that Ratka collapsed that morning. Nothing seemed to stay good for the Solargarde for long. Right when they were together again, Ratka fell ill.

She stopped in front of a building that was still intact in the crumbling ruins. The entire Solargarde stood in front of the door patiently. The children grasped at their mother's skirt. Chelsea and Jordyn clung to each other for support. And the rest of the Solargarde were giving support to each other through reassuring words and hugs. Morgause was no where in sight, but Kali wasn't worried about where the High Priestess was. She was more worried about the woman who helped raise her.

Christiane reached for her. Kali quickly fell into her arms. She hung onto the middle-aged woman like Christiane was her lifeline. She smoothed Kali's hair. "It'll be alright. Ratka is strong. She'll pull through." She whispered but Kali could tell that she didn't entirely believe her own words.

"What happened?" Kai choked out. She held back a sob that threatened to be released.

Christiane pulled away from the hug, still holding Kali's hands. "After dinner she was feeling nauseous, so Ratka went to bed. This morning she had trouble breathing, but she still wanted to go for a walk." The woman paled slightly. "I shouldn't have let her out of bed."

Kali tightened her grip on Christiane's hands. "Don't blame yourself. You know that Ratka would've gone for a walk no matter what you said."

She smiled slightly. "Yes, I suppose so. She has been asking for you."

"She has?"

Christiane nodded. "She didn't tell me why, but she wants to see you." She paused. Her lips formed a large frown. "Ratka seems to think that this is her last day... but she's wrong."

Kali choked back several tears. "When has Ratka ever been wrong?" She whispered. Her voice cracked with tears that we about to fall.

"No." Christiane answered sharply. "This time she _is_ wrong. Morgause is searching for a cure right now. If anyone can help Ratka, it's the High Priestess." She wiped her eyes and gently pushed Kali towards the building. "Go on, she's waiting."

Kali mentally prepared herself to see the worst. She hoped that Ratka wasn't as sick as everyone thought, but she knew the Solargarde wouldn't be acting this way if it wasn't serious. Never in her life had she seen Ratka sick. It seemed impossible for it to happen. Ratka always had perfect health. Kali hadn't seen her so much as cough in her life. All those years of seeing a perfectly healthy Ratka convinced Kali that the elderly woman was indestructible. Nothing could possibly happen to her. In one day, all those thoughts came crashing down to a pile of rubble.

She slowly opened the door. There was a fire burning in the fireplace. It casted an amber glow on the room. In the corner of the room there was a bed. Ratka laid there as still as a corpse, covered in blankets that the Solargarde wove several years ago . Kali would've thought that she was dead if it wasn't for the slight rise and fall of her chest. She ran to the elderly woman's side.

Ratka moved her head slightly to look at her. Her thin lips curved in a smile. She grasped the young woman's hands. "Kali, I have been waiting for you."

"I'm here." Kali gasped out. "You're going to get better. Morgause will find something-"

"Hush, child. I know when it's time to go." Ratka interrupted. "But before I leave, I need to speak to you. I need you to know."

Kali wiped several tears that fell down her face. "No! Don't talk this way, you aren't going to leave us!"

Ratka shook her head, but the small movement cost her a lot of energy. "You have to accept it, Kali. It _is_ my time. I have played my part, now it's time for you to play yours."

Her tears blurred her vision. "Please, Ratka. Don't leave us." Kali repeated.

"Death is inevitable. This is not something that can be stopped. As my dying wish, I want you to accept it. Accept my death. Do not dwell on it, and move on. Everyone dies. This is a part of life."

"But I don't want you to." Kai croaked.

Ratka laughed, but it sounded weak. "Neither do I, but I still welcome it. Death will always happen, whether you welcome it with open arms or run away It's easier to accept it than to fight. It saves everyone from unnecessary heartache." The woman reached for a cup of water. Kali helped her with it. Ratka took a long sip, but it wasn't enough to sooth the burning. "Thank you. Now, there was a reason that I asked for you specifically. You need to know the full truth of how we came to be. I need to pass it on before I die, and I want to pass it on to you."

Kali's eyebrows came together in confusion. "The full truth?"

Ratka's eyes grew distant as she remembered a time many, many years ago. "Once there was a woman. She lived in a time before kingdoms. All there was were small villages of people who helped each other to survive. They were normally peaceful, except for the occasional skirmish. That woman was beautiful. Men everywhere wanted her hand in marriage, but she was interested in only one. He was her childhood friend, but he was betrothed to another woman. So one day she prayed to the gods, and one of them listened. The next day, she was greeted by a god. A minor one, but powerful nonetheless."

Ratka laughed slightly. "Now, gods normally don't bother with mortals, but that god saw something in that woman. He saw a spark of life. A spark of _magic_. The woman pleaded to be with her love, and the god gave her the means to do so. He unleashed the power. The woman was incredibly selfish and blinded by her infatuation with the man. She killed his betrothed and asked him to marry her instead. As you can assume, he refused to and swore that he would hate her for the rest of his mortal life. She was devastated."

"You have to understand that the woman was very clever, but let her emotions run her decision. Her decisions were always rash and never thought about the consequences. She easily destroyed their village and the betrothal's village in revenge. Within a matter of days, the people of the area begged her to stop. They brought gifts like exotic fish from the farthest villages and gold jewelry. They even went as far to offer up their children. The villagers were incredibly desperate. She was very pleased. She accepted the gifts and promised to not attack the villagers anymore if they allowed her to be their ruler. Soon enough, she realized that she could do the same to the other villages. The woman quickly conquered the entire land."

"She grew lonely and wanted someone to join to rule the land. However, she didn't plan on marrying another man. She was still hurt from the man's rejection and she was far too paranoid to hand over a part of her power to another person like that. Instead of marrying, she gave birth to five children out of magic. Three boys and two girls. She raised them to be like her, but they quickly found their own way. Three of them grew to hate the woman with a passion while two remained loyal to their mother."

"What were their names?" Kali asked curiously.

Ratka smiled. Kali thought it was refreshing to see her smile so widely even when Ratka was potentially on her deathbed. "Remember that names were much more complicated and odd back then. Their names were Suelargardiana, Driudista, Trikungo, Chaost, and Lowshrodo. I like to think that the woman wanted to punish them with such terrible names. Anyways, the three children that hated their mother quickly ran away to lands out of her reach. Suelargardiana, Driudista, and Lowshrodo worked for many days and nights and eventually made the Purple Rose. I'm sure you are more than familiar with the effects."

Kali nodded her head. It hasn't worn off completely and she still couldn't do any spells. It really irritated her, but she quickly pushed her own problems aside to focus all her attention on Ratka.

"The three siblings gave the flower to the villages and they had an uprising. They killed the queen. The five children went their own way. They quickly forgave each other and there was peace in the family once again. Suelargardiana, Driudista, Trikungo, Chaost, and Lowshrodo sought to share magic with the rest of the world, which their mother refused to do. They taught people their ways and soon there were five major sects of magic. The names became jumbled around as the years passed. Suelargardiana became Solargardiana, Solargardian, to finally, Solargarde. The others changed to what you know as the Druids, Trikong, Chaosteps, and Lowshroud."

"How do you know all this?" Kali asked. She was completely mesmerized.

Ratka's eyes sparkled mischievously. "Because I am Suelargardiana."

Kali gaped at the old woman. "But... but then you must be thousands of years old!"

"I am."

"How did you live so long?" Kali exclaimed.

"I change forms every so often. I'm sure that you have heard of the last Solargarde leader, Brielle."

Kali nodded her head violently. "I have. She led the Reconquest of the Isles and saved hundreds of magic users during the Great Purge!"

Ratka suppressed a laugh at Kali's behavior. "Yes, that was me." Kali's eyes only grew wider. "And all the past Solargarde leaders were me. I wanted to keep an eye on my sect, on my family." Ratka grinned. "I saw that you put my mother's tiara to use. I'm very proud of you, Kali."

"Thank you." Kali froze. If it was even possible, her eyes grew as wide as the moon. "Only people who are descended from the queen... err your mother can wear the tiara." She stated with a distant expression.

Ratka nodded her head. "Yes. That's true."

Her mind whirled at a million miles per hour. "So... I'm related to... you?"

Ratka's grin grew. "Yes you are. I had two sons and they in turn had many children. I'm not sure which you are descended from, but in some ways you could consider me to be your great-something grandmother." She coughed violently. Kali reached for the cup of water and helped Ratka drink something to soothe her throat.

"Are you alright?" Kali asked her fearfully.

Ratka placed a hand on Kali's cheek and completely ignored Kali's question. "I told you that story so that you could pass on the truth. Our legacy. My siblings died long before they could tell their children. And when I die, you will be the only person on earth that knows what truly happened all those years ago."

Kali shook her head. "You're not dying! Can't you... have another form?"

Ratka smiled sadly. "No. I have lived this long because I was waiting for someone, but now that wait is over."

"Who were you waiting for?"

The elderly woman removed her hand from Kali's face. She folded her hands together on her stomach. "I was waiting for someone who will help bring peace to the land. She will bring back magic and unite the land under one peaceful rule. She and her husband will build a kingdom worth fighting for." Ratka sighed, hoping that she didn't say too much. "Will you please send in Christiane? I need to speak to her."

"I can do that." Kali whispered. She kissed Ratka's forehead. "Thank you for taking care of me." She murmured, hoping that those weren't the last words that she ever said to Ratka. But if they were, then Kali was satisfied with the closure it gave her. She promised herself that she would try to accept Ratka's death like she asked her to, but Kali still hung on to the hope that she would pull through. Kali left the room without looking back, because if she looked back, she wouldn't be able to leave Ratka's side. She walked up to Christiane. "She wants to talk to you." She said quietly.

Christiane paled. "Me?" Kali nodded. Christiane slowly walked into the room like she was underwater. Ratka' sickness was taking its toll on her. It was obvious to everyone. When Ratka died, Christiane would most likely take over. She was the most experienced int he Solargarde and had been by Ratka's side the longest. Kali realized that when Ratka died, Christiane would be the first Solargarde leader that wasn't just another form of Suelargardiana.

Madelena sobbed and gripped her brother's hand. Abram held to Nizana's hand with an emotionless face. The two children seemed to know more of what was going on that the rest of the Solargarde who were in denial of Ratka's state of health. Kali had to get away. She had to escape from the emotions. So, she left.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Kali found a tower in the back of the Isles. Half of it was crumbling to ruins, but it still stood proudly. She climbed to the top and found that she was able to see the entire Isle of the Blessed from her spot. Kali was so high in the air that she felt like she left all her problems back on the ground. Nothing could touch her while she was up there. Nothing could bother her except for the chilly wind.

She jumped when she felt a fabric wrapped around her. Morgause sat next to her on the ledge. "I saw you come up here. I thought that maybe you would like some company." Morgause explained.

Kali tugged the blanket so that it covered her better. "Before you ask, I'm fine."

The blonde nodded but didn't look like she believed her. "It's alright to grieve." Kali didn't respond. "Would you like to talk about it?" Morgause asked.

Kali whipped her head to look at the High Priestess. "Shouldn't you be looking for a cure? Shouldn't you be trying to help Ratka?"

Morgause paused. Her eyes widened slightly at Kali's outburst. She hadn't expected that question. "There's no use. She is a lost cause." She answered simply.

Kali glared at the High Priestess. "_A lost cause_? You are talking about _Ratka_! She is definitely not a lost cause!" She yelled.

The High Priestess calmly placed her hands in her lap. She had to be careful to not anger Kali more than she already was. "I didn't mean to offend you."

"You did." Kali spat. She tore her eyes off the woman and focused on the horizon. The sun was high in the sky but it was covered with clouds. Everything was gloomy. It was as if the earth was crying for Ratka.

Morgause placed a hand on Kali's shoulder, but she jerked away. "If there is anyone to be angry at, it should be Uther."

Kali blinked once in confusion. "Uther? Why?"

The High Priestess nearly smirked. She had Kali's attention. "Ratka became sick in the cells of Camelot. They are not a pleasant place to be. They're cold and breeding grounds for disease. Uther put her in there. He's the reason that Ratka is sick."

She shifted in her spot on the ledge. "But he couldn't possibly have known that she would've gotten sick."

Morgause's lips curled in disgust. "He didn't have to. Did you forget what he tried to do to the entire Solargarde? He wanted to have her burned on the pyre. Uther wanted her dead, and he's going to get it." She took in a deep breath to calm herself. "Aren't you angry at him for doing this to your family?"

"Of course." Kali answered quietly. "But he's blinded by his ignorance. I feel sorry for him. He doesn't-"

Morgause scoffed at her. "Uther knows the consequences. Don't try to justify his actions!" She sneered.

She was stunned by the High Priestess's words. Kali got off of the ledge and stood on the floor behind it. Something about the conversation felt off to her. It sounded like Morgause was trying to persuade her to think a certain way instead of to offer her support. "I'm not justifying them." Kali responded softly. She handed the blanket back to Morgause. "I just understand why he does these horrible things. He's afraid. And when someone's afraid, they often lash out." She wrapped her arms around herself. Her eyes grew cold. "And don't you dare talk about Ratka like that ever again. I don't care if you're the High Priestess or not, nobody talks about her that way."

Kali left Morgause alone of the tower. She didn't want to be anywhere near that woman. Something about her made Kali feel on edge. She just hoped the she stayed away from her.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Kali watched the sun go down in the horizon. When it fell completely behind the land, the earth shifted into mourning. She didn't have to be told to know that Ratka passed away. Kali felt it in her gut.

Margie ran up to her. She sighed in relief at the sight of the woman. "Kali, we have been looking for you everywhere." Margie gasped out. Her green eyes were lined with red from crying. Margie looked exhausted.

Kali stood up. She engulfed her Solargarde sister in a large hug. "Is she...?"

"Yes." Margie choked out. Kali buried her face in Margie's shoulder. Margie tried to console her anyway that she could. "Ratka named Christiane the new leader. We will have the funeral in the morning."

"How is everyone else?"

"Like you would expect them to be." Margie answered. She paused. "Morgause is talking to them, but I think she's upsetting them more than helping them."

Kali narrowed her eyes. "What is she telling them?"

Margie pursed her lips. "It's not important. Come on, let's join the others."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Uther was furious, again. He asked Arthur why there weren't any guards searching the woods, and Arthur answered truthfully; he didn't send any out. Even after he tried to explain his reasoning, his father refused to listen. The king decided to take things in his own hands and sent out dozens of men, men that were needed to defend Camelot. Arthur thought that it was a rash and unwise decision, but he had already gone against his father too much. Anymore, and Uther just might have him executed.

"Merlin!" Arthur yelled.

Merlin groaned at the sight of the prince. "Here to give me more chores? I just finished mucking out the stables, cleaning your entire room, and bathing the royal hunting hounds. I haven't even had dinner yet and that was several hours ago." The servant crossed his arms over his chest.

Arthur glared at Merlin. "And once again you fail to address me as your prince and future king." He replied sarcastically. Arthur sighed. "That's actually not the reason that I need you."

Merlin's eyebrows raised, but he held back any sarcastic comment that was itching to come out.

Arthur tried to choose his words carefully. "Prepare the horses for tomorrow. We will leave before sunrise, so be ready then."

"Why?" Merlin asked.

"Why?" Arthur exclaimed. "Because I'm you prince and I ordered you to!"

Merlin pinched the bridge of his nose. "No! Not 'why should I do what you say', but why as in 'why do you need the horses ready'. Goodness, Arthur. It's times like these that make me question intelligence."

The prince shook his head. "I'm going to ignore that last comment." He looked over his shoulder. The hall was empty. It was only the two. "Because we are going to look for the Solargarde."

"The Solargarde?" Merlin hissed. He also glanced over his shoulder to make sure no one was eavesdropping. "Are you mad? Didn't you just tell your father that you don't want anyone to look for them and that we should just leave them alone?"

Now was the part the Arthur would have to confess. He shuffled uneasily under Merlin's unwavering stare. Normally it was Arthur that made people uncomfortable, and he wasn't particularly pleased for it to happen the other way around. "Merlin, can I trust you?"

His servant's eyebrows came together in confusion, but he nodded. "Of course you can."

Arthur sighed. "I'm going to warn them to get as far away from Camelot as possible before my father tightens the borders and increases the guards in the small villages. If they don't leave now, they might never be able to."

"Why do you care? They kidnapped you."

"Because they are a kind group of people. Not peaceful like the Druids, but..." Arthur paused, trying to find the right words to describe it. "I've never truly had a family. My mother died while giving birth and my father is king. He never had time for me. They're a family and I don't want them to lose that."

Merlin looked incredibly worried. "Do you really think that is the best idea? They are dangerous and you're the only Prince of Camelot."

"They won't hurt us." Arthur told him confidently.

Merlin raised an eyebrow. "How can you be sure?"

The prince's shoulders sagged slightly. "I can't but I know they won't." He turned away to head towards his room. It was going to be a long day and he wanted as much sleep as possible.

Merlin sighed. "That's no reassuring at all." He muttered under his breath before returning to tell Gaius the news. Maybe he will give him some advice on what to do.


	11. Chapter 11: Druid Camp

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The morning after the death of Ratka was one of the roughest for the women. Solargarde customs said that the body must be burned, along with all they're possessions that weren't given to other people while the person was still alive. Out of all the women, it was the children who were the strong ones. _They_ were the ones who went back into Ratka's room and they gathered up her blankets and clothes. Several of the women tried to help, but they couldn't move themselves towards the room. Even Kali, who found herself strangely at peace with her mentor's death, was too overwhelmed to get close to the door. Ratka was a mother to all of them, no matter the age. Even Oriold, the oldest member, felt like an orphaned child.

One of the toughest things to get used to after Ratka's death was the shift of power. There was a new leader who would have to guide the Solargarde through future good or bad times. Kali thought that despite having a huge burden placed on her shoulders, Christiane was holding up fairly well. She led the funeral without so much as pausing to dry her eyes. The middle-aged woman had known Ratka for the longest time, so it would be understandable if she broke down in tears. Everyone would've understood. Kali admired her strength. Nobody could ever truly fill Ratka's shoes, but if anyone had to take her place, Kali would choose Christiane.

The rest of the Solargarde agreed with her. Christiane was an amazing sorceress. Magic came naturally to her like breathing was natural for any creature that walked the earth. She had taught many of the young women everything there was to know about sorcery. She was the one who trained them with their weapons and defensive spells. Christiane meant as much to them as Ratka did, so it was only right for her to lead them.

Kali was looking for Christiane. She wanted to talk to her about the story that Ratka told her. She wanted to know if Christiane was told the same thing. It would be nice to talk to someone about it instead of keeping it wrapped inside of her. Kali hugged her arms around herself and walked in to the room that Morgause first took her and Livia to when they came to her for help. Morgause sat at the table speaking to Eva, Sarah, and Chelsey. Jordyn stood on the other side of the room with a grimace on her face. She looked like she wanted to drown herself in her tea. Jordyn gestured for Kali to come to her urgently.

Kali raised an eyebrow at Jordyn. "Are you okay?" She asked tentatively.

Jordyn frowned and gazed at Chelsey with a look of pure concern. "No. Not at all. I can't stand what Morgause is saying." Jordyn shook her head bitterly. "Honestly if she wasn't the High Priestess I might be tempted to punch her." Kali leaned back slightly. It wasn't like Jordyn to be worked up like this. She usually stayed quiet about her opinion, only sharing it when she was asked. Jordyn was the most introverted of the group. Only Chelsey or things that made her incredibly angry got the woman to talk.

"What is she telling them?"

Jordyn narrowed her eyes on the blonde. "She's telling them terrible things about Camelot. It's distasteful to talk about such things when Ratka just passed away. She hadn't even waited two hours after the funeral to start spewing out insults of everything that has to do with Camelot." She spat.

Kali watched the three women. Their eyes were wide, eagerly nodding, and actively contributing to the conversation. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but she knew that it was something that they felt strongly about. A knot formed in Kali's stomach. Now Morgause's pure kindness that she showed them earlier didn't seem so pure. She began to think that every kind thing Morgause did had a darker reason. She really hoped that wasn't the case but it was much easier to believe that someone was plotting something than to believe that there was no selfish motive behind everything.

"Why would Morgause say these things?" Kali asked, her eyes not leaving the four women.

Jordyn scowled. Her brown eyes darkened. "I have no idea, but I have a horrible feeling that she will make us all look like fools."

Kali's eyebrows raised up in surprise. "What do you mean by that?"

She gestures towards the women. "Can't you see it? Morgause has three of our women under her thumb now." Jordyn hissed with venom. She set her tea down on the window-sill. "I'm going to speak to Christiane about this. She'll do something." Jordyn abruptly left the room. None of the other women noticed her exit.

Kali decided that she needed to put a stop to the conversation. It was obvious that Morgause's words were having a great impact on her Solargarde sisters, and she was positive that the words only spoke badly of Camelot. She personally wasn't a fan of Camelot —it was impossible to be after everything that happened— but she understood that as bad as Camelot was, there were positives. It was a strong kingdom with fair laws, excluding those that involved magic. Camelot was home to many good people who did good things. There was just a bad king. But just because she strongly hated one person out of the entire kingdom didn't mean that she had the right to call all of Camelot evil.

"—because Uther has corrupted the entire kingdom! It's not..." Morgause paused. She looked up at Kali with a look she didn't recognize. "Kali, I'm glad that you have come to join us."

Eva nodded. The young girl looked so innocent. Too innocent to be feeling such hate for Camelot. "Sit with us! Morgause was just about to tell us about her sister that lives in Camelot." Eva said eagerly.

Morgause placed a hand on Eva's shoulder. "No, my dear Eva, I don't think she would like to talk with us. She doesn't share the same opinion as us."

Kali crossed her arms and squared her shoulders. There was an unspoken insult in her words. '_She doesn't share the same opinion as us_' meant closer to _'She isn't like us'_. Kali bit her bottom lip to keep herself from saying something insulting. That would only make the situation worse.

The blonde pushed away her half-full cup of tea. "I talked to Christiane after the funeral. I told her about the disease ravaging a Druid camp. She—"

"What disease?" Kali interrupted rudely.

Morgause frowned. "Several men from Camelot raided their camp and gave a child a deadly disease. It has spread throughout the Druid camp like a wild-fire."

"How can you be sure that it was the men from Camelot who gave the child the disease?" Kali challenged.

"Well, who else could it have been?" Chelsey countered quietly. She bitterly took a sip of her tea. Kali resisted glaring at the woman. It wouldn't make anything better to start tensions within the Solargarde just like it wouldn't to anger the High Priestess.

The High Priestess placed a reassuring hand on Chelsey's. "We must let Kali think what she wants to think. It will do now good trying to persuade her. She must see for herself. And soon enough she will se the error in her thoughts." Morgause sighed dramatically. "As I was saying, Iseldir contacted me and said that the druids wished to cast a blessing on the camp to speed the healing, but there wasn't enough healthy people to do it. He asked me to join him, but I cannot, especially after you leader's death. It just wouldn't be right."

Kali grit her teeth. "You didn't even know her."

Sarah frowned. "Please don't be rude, Kali. She _is_ the High Priestess and a friend to the Solargarde." Something about Morgause gave Kali the feeling the she wasn't as much as a friend to the Solargarde as they believed, but Kali wasn't about to say that out loud. Especially not when her fellow sisters were defending her so strongly.

Morgause continued like nothing had been said. "Christiane said that you would be the best for the job. You have the most experience with healing spells out of the group, besides Christiane, of course. But she obviously can't leave now." Her lips curved in a slight smirk. "Unless, you are unable to."

"I am perfectly capable." Kali snapped.

Morgause's smile only grew. "Wonderful! I will tell Christiane to get the talisman."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Christiane handed Kali a small ring with an inscription on the inside. It hummed with energy. Kali felt the connection to another ring many miles away. She could almost feel the warmth coming from the other ring that was around a man's finger.

"Tell me how transportation spells work." Christiane commanded gently, reminding Kali of moments many years ago when Christiane would quiz her on different subjects at random times. She packed a small bag of extra provisions since Kali was going to stay for as long as necessary at the druid camp.

Kali groaned, but she knew the Christiane wouldn't let her leave without telling her. It was her way of making sure that Kali was knowledgable about different spells. "A transportation spell needs an object to tether it to. First you must create a smell and enchant an object, whether it's a house or a needle. That spell can then be used when you wish to be transported to the object. Many people like to enchant objects and bury them deep under the ground so that they're always guaranteed to appear in that spot when they say the spell."

Christiane smiled. "Very good." She gave Kali the pack of food and clothes. "Now, the other ring is worn by a man named Iseldir. You _must _show him that you have Morgause's ring so that he knows you're there to help. Do you remember the spell that Morgause gave you that transported us here to the Isle of the Blessed?"

Kali sighed. "Of course I remember."

She nodded. "Good. If the problem happens to bigger than expected, you must return back her for more help. Don't try to solve it yourself. It is dangerous to overstrain yourself magically."

"Don't worry, it will be fine. I can do a some simple healing spells." Kali reassured her.

The woman laughed. "I know you can." Her smile fell slightly. "Ratka was so proud of how far you came magically. You are a skilled sorceress. I can only imagine how powerful you will be in several years if you keep training like you do." Christiane paused, deep in thought. She quickly caught herself and spoke again. "You must hurry. Iseldir will be expecting you."

Kali peered at the incantation lining the ring. "_Ic fram beag abrecan se æt._" The air shifted. Kali's image disappeared right before Christiane's eyes. Kali's vision turned black. She opened her eyes to see herself in an entirely different place than before. People huddled in green cloaks sit around several fires. There are crude tents and beds built from worn blankets. The children were silent, mourning those that were lost that morning from the disease.

"Who are you?"

She turned around. Iseldir stood tall, pointing a knife towards her. His face was worn with sadness from the friends that he lost. His grey hair tangled around itself, but his appearance wasn't high on his priority list.

Kali stiffened at the sight of the weapon pointed towards her. She slowly reached for her own blade hidden underneath her belt. Her other hand held up the ring in between her fingers. "My name is Kali. I am from the Solargarde. The High Priestess sent me to help." She answered.

He visibly relaxed. Iseldir lips curved into a small smile. "I was under the impression the High Priestess was the one who would come to our aid." He held out his arm for her to take. She slipped her arm around hers. It was a gesture of comradery and Kali appreciated it. The Druids and Solargarde often worked closely together. Many of the woman from the Solargarde married in to the Druids since men were not allowed in the sect. Kali knew only one woman who left the Solargarde for her druid husband, but that was many years ago. "I trust that you are skilled with health spells otherwise you wouldn't have been sent." Iseldir said.

Kali nodded while Iseldir guided her through the camp. "Yes, that and memory spells."

Iseldir's face turned thoughtful. "Yes, I would assume so. Ratka is a skilled teacher. I doesn't surprise me that she would share some of her skills. How is she? The Solargarde hasn't passed through our camp in several years."

She frowned. "She passed away last night."

To say that he was surprised was an understatement. Kali wasn't the only one with the impression that Ratka was unbreakable. "I'm sorry to hear that. She was a remarkable sorceress."

"She was indeed." Kali whispered.

Iseldir gestured towards a large tent. Inside a child was crying over his sick mother. The emotion coming from the tent was overwhelming. "I apologize that I must show you more sadness after Ratka's passing. There has not been much happiness here for a long time." He pulled aside the flap so the Kali could walk in. Several healers worked without stopping for hours, which Kali knew from the bags under their eyes. She recognized one of the woman as Maribelle —the woman who married a druid man.

Maribelle turned at their entrance. Her face light up slightly at the sigh of Kali. She rushed over for a hug. "It has been too long, Kali." She said cheerfully. Her cheeks turned rose in excitement of seeing an old friend.

Kali grinned. "How's William?"

"A big pain in the ass." Maribelle joked. She placed her hands on her stomach. There was a small bump. "He has been overly protective. It's incredibly annoying."

She took her friend's hands in her own. "Can you blame him? You're with child!" Kali exclaimed.

Maribelle sighed. "You would think that he would've gotten that out of his system after the first one." Kali looked at her confused. Maribelle's smile grew sad. "It really has been a long time, Kali. We have both missed so much in each other's lives."

Iseldir looked at the two old friends joyfully. It was something like this that was bound to boost everyone's spirits. "I once again apologize to you, Kali, but we really must begin working. Two more people have came in with fevers this morning. We must begin our work."

Kali understood. There would be plenty of time to talk to Maribelle. Now, she had to help the ill. "What have you been using so far on the sick?" She asked.

Maribelle wiped her sweat hands on her dirty dress. "We have been cooling their fevers with several minor spells. We're afraid to use anything major since it could backfire and make it worse. I have gone out to gather several herbs to help them keep their food down." She looked up at Iseldir. "He has purified the tent and placed several charms by their beds."

A small boy ran in with a basket of herbs. His hair was bright red, just like Maribelle's. He handed the basket to her. "Are these the ones that you asked for, mum?"

Maribelle frowned. She shook her head. "Jerome, where on earth did you get these?"

The small boy's ears turned red with embarrassment. "By the river."

She emptied the herbs on the table. Maribelle scrutinized each one. "Did you get it on the east or west bank?"

Jerome shuffled his feet awkwardly. "Does it matter?"

"Yes." Maribelle said quickly. She pointed towards the leaves. "This one has five leaves, not four. If I give this to them, then it will poison them. It only grows on the east bank of the river."

"But mum," Jerome complained, "there wasn't any herbs on the east bank of the river!"

She raised an eyebrow. "Did you even look?" She took her son's silence as a no. Maribelle sighed. "I will be back. We need a new stock of herbs."

"I can do it." Kali blurted out.

Maribelle shook her head. "No, no. You came to help. I can't take your time by having you pick some herbs."

Kali rolled her eyes. She gently took the basket from her friend's hands. "If gathering herbs helps you, then I'm glad to do it. Plus, you're needed here." Kali turned towards Iseldir. "Do you mind if I pick some extra herbs that might be helpful while I"m out?"

Iseldir smiled at her initiative. "No, I do not. That would be incredibly useful. Thank you."

Kali exited the medical tent and headed towards the river, making sure that she stayed on the east bank.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Arthur lead his horse to the river for a short break. They had been riding for several hours without any luck. Merlin and Arthur had come across several other travelers, but none of them were a member of the Solargarde.

"Maybe we should head back to Camelot." Merlin suggested. Arthur ignored him for the millionth of time. For some reason his servant was dead-set on convincing him to return to the city. Arthur thought that perhaps Merlin was afraid of the Solargarde, which would make sense. The sect didn't have a particularly positive reputation.

The prince sighed. "Like I told you before, they won't hurt you. You'll be fine, Merlin, honestly."

Merlin rolled his eyes. "It's not me I'm worried about. I can hold my own just fine, but you..."

Arthur raised an eyebrow and motioned for him to continue.

"If you got kidnapped once, it means that they can do it again." Merlin finished.

He shook his head. "No. They only caught me off guard. They won't be able to do it again." Arthur reasoned.

Merlin rolled his eyes again. "I sincerely doubt that. They're the _Solargarde_. If they want to, they'll do it again and again. The wise decision is to head back. I'm sure the king is wondering where you went."

Arthur washed his hands off in the chilly river. "I told some of the knights to tell him the truth if he asked."

Merlin's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You told them that you were looking for the Solargarde to warn them of something that they most likely already know?"

The Prince of Camelot shrugged. "Well, I told them most of the truth." He narrowed his eyes at his manservant. "What do you mean by that?"

Merlin fought the urge to roll his eyes for the third time since the conversation started. Sometimes Arthur wasn't the brightest. "They most likely know that Uther will be desperately looking for them. If they're smart, then they're already far away from Camelot. You don't need to warn them about anything. They already know."

Arthur opened his mouth to disagree but quickly shut it. Merlin did have a point. Arthur didn't take any of the members of the Solargarde to be dumb, so obviously they should have been far away from Camelot. Deep down he already knew this. But this brought up another question, if he already knew that the Solargarde was going to go as far from Camelot as possible, then why was he trying so hard to get to them? No matter how hard he thought, he couldn't come up with a good answer.

He nodded slowly. "You're right, Merlin."

"Of course I am."

Arthur grabbed the reigns of his horse and guided it away from the river. "We should head back. Maybe..." He paused. His eyes grew wide with surprise. Standing right there was Kali who was just as shocked to see him as he was to see her.

"Arthur? What are you doing?"


	12. Chapter 12: First Impressions

**I'm sorry it's a little short, but here it is! Happy Holidays to all of you! xoxoxo**

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Kali never expected to see Arthur. Especially not in the middle of the woods. In fact, she long ago accepted the fact that she would never see the prince ever again. The Solargarde had no business in Camelot anymore, so what were the odds that she would see him? Despite them being very slim, he managed to be standing in front of her with an almost sheepish expression on his face. Kali found it somewhat endearing. Then she noticed the man standing behind Arthur.

He was lean and tall with dark hair. There wasn't much muscle on him. She could take him down easily if the situation called for it. It wouldn't be too hard except for the fact of something gnawing in the back of her mind to leave him alone. And if she had learned anything during her lifetime, it was to never ignore your instincts. If her instincts were telling her to stay on friendly terms with that man, then she will do that. Even though Kali intended to not be a threat, she couldn't help her hand from resting on her belt where she had several daggers stashed. One wrong move from him, and should could quickly throw a dagger his way.

"Who are you?" She asked, not keeping her eyes off of the new person.

He stared at her with the same amount of suspicion. "Merlin." He answered sharply. "Who are you?"

Kali didn't bother to answer. She didn't trust Merlin at all and she didn't want to tell him her name. Names were powerful things. She could count more than a dozen spells and curses that involved the name of the intended victim. It also wouldn't be good for him to toss her name around or to tell it to the wrong person. Yes, it was much safer to keep her name to herself. Kali turned to look at Arthur. "What are you doing here?" She asked again.

Arthur cleared his throat awkwardly. "Why aren't you and the Solargarde far away from here by now?" He asked, not answering her question.

Suspicion crawled up Kali's throat. She peered around the woods nervously, looking for any sign of Camelot guards waiting to snatch her up. Kali squared her shoulders. "If you're hoping to find them to bring them back to Camelot, then you're looking in the wrong place. They are far away from here." She snapped.

He raised an eyebrow at her cold behavior. "Then why are you out here and not with the rest?"

She didn't back down. Kali continued to stare at Arthur who returned with as much intensity. Both of them were too stubborn to look away or drop the subject. Kali considered telling Arthur the truth. Sure, she thought Arthur was a moral man. He hadn't done anything to prove her otherwise. But despite her high opinion of the prince, she still was incredibly suspicious of him. If Kali was Arthur, she would be hauling him right back to Camelot. Her loyalties to her family was much stronger than her loyalties for people she just met. Even if it was an incredibly unethical thing to do, she would do it for her loved ones. Kali prayed that Arthur and her weren't similar in that way.

"I'm helping out a friend." She vaguely told him. Kali crossed her arms. "Now, why are you out here?" The sorceress repeated.

He scratched that back of his head. "Well, Merlin and I wanted—" Merlin coughed dramatically. He sighed. "I wanted to make sure that you all escaped safely. I also came to warn you that my father is increasing the guards in the villages and is restricting the border. It's about to be a lot more difficult to leave Camelot for the Solargarde."

Kali's gaze softened. A sliver of her felt guilty for assuming the worst from the man, but could anyone blame her? She lived her life seeing the worst in people. Her once loving aunt locked her away at the first sign of magic, more than once people tried to burn her for her magic, and Kali had witnessed more executions than there was people in Camelot. It was only natural for her to slightly distrustful. "Thank you." She replied. Her mouth curved into a small smile. "That is very kind of you to be thinking about us." Arthur only nodded in response with his cheeks a very light pink.

"Who's sick?" Merlin asked suddenly. His eyes were locked on the basket. "I recognize those herbs. Gaius is always running short of them. They're very powerful medicinal plants."

She shuffled slightly in her spot. "You don't need to worry about it." She replied quickly.

"If you need any help, Merlin knows a lot of medicine." Arthur offered. Kali shook her head quickly, not wanting to involve any more people than necessary. The prince frowned. "Merlin can help you, you know that right? It's not wrong to ask for help."

She was tempted. The Druids could use as much help as they could get. And since Kali could normally rely on magical remedies her entire life, she didn't have much experience of how physicians cared for regular people. Magic only seemed to make the peoples' sickness worse, so it would be useful to have someone with experience with that sort of thing. But then again, she didn't know Merlin at all. All she had to go on was Arthur's word, and strangely enough, she trusted it. The pros outweighed the cons. "Is he an honest man?" She asked the prince.

"The most honest one I know." Arthur answered without hesitation.

Kali nodded. "Okay." She said. "Okay, he can help. But you have to stay here and make camp."

Arthur's face was pure confusion. "Why can't I come with?" He questioned with an adequate amount of distrust. His eyes flickered between Kali and Merlin.

Merlin took a step forward. "It's fine, Arthur. Her friends would most likely be frightened by the Prince of Camelot, anyways. I can take care of myself."

"That doesn't make me feel much better." Arthur pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers. "Please be honest with me. Are they dangerous? Do they put Merlin's life in danger?"

She shook her head. "No. They won't hurt him."

He looked reluctant, but Arthur nods in agreement. Kali was about to lead Merlin back to camp when she thought of an idea. She reached down to the ground and picked up two small rocks. Kali enclosed one rock in each hand. "_Angiet broga_." She whispered. Her brown eyes flashed a luminescent yellow. The two rocks turned warm like the embers in a fire then quickly cooled down to their original temperature. Kali handed one of the rocks to Arthur. He turns it around in his fingers with curiosity. "There," she said, clearly proud of herself, "if either of us are in danger, the rocks will turn warm. This way you can be sure that nothing is happening to Merlin and we can be sure that you'll be fine alone in the middle of the woods."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "I will be perfectly fine. I have spent many nights sleeping in the woods. And if there are any problems, I can easily take care of it." Merlin snorted and Arthur glared at him.

Merlin and Kali left Arthur to gather wood for a campfire and to set up sleeping arrangements. When they were far out of Arthur's earshot, Kali wanted to make sure that Merlin was well aware of the situation. She also needed to be sure that he wouldn't tell anyone. Not even Arthur. Her trust for the man could only reach so far. It was a very real possibility that Arthur could turn around and tell his father about the druid camp, which would only bring more suffering.

"They're good people." She said. Kali kept her eyes forward and didn't look at Merlin who was looking at her oddly. "I don't want any harm to come to them." Kali purposefully stretched her cloak back so that the servant could clearly see the knives in her belt.

Merlin picked up on the very subtle threat. "I will help if I can." He said quickly. "So, what are their symptoms?"

She sighed. "Their fevers are incredibly high. A couple of the younger children have had seizures. More than once they ended up causing more injuries to themselves. They also are incredibly nauseous. Every single person has trouble keeping their food down."

He nodded, soaking in the information. The gears grinded together in his head. "I think Gaius might have treated someone with the same disease a couple months ago." He mused. Merlin gestured towards his bicep. "Do they have a rash on their arms or legs?"

"I'm not sure."

"If they do, then I know exactly how to treat it."

Kali smiled, truly happy. She made the right decision by letting Merlin come to the Druid camp. After several minutes of walking, the reach the outsides of the camp. Merlin's face turned to pure shock. He realized that it was a Druid camp. Her heart fell. She saw how his whole body tensed. There was a flash of something in his eyes that reminded her of an animal making the decision whether to run away or if the threat wasn't big enough to matter. "Are you still going to help?" She asked softly.

Merlin blinked several times. "Of course. I said I was, so I will. I'm just surprised about who your friends are." The corners of his mouth curved into a small frown. "This seems like important information to share."

She shrugged like it was nothing. Kali immediately led the way towards the medical tent in the back of the camp. "If I had told you, would you have come?" She looked back at Merlin's thoughtful face. His silence answered her question in a way that words never could. She purposefully avoided people when they walked through the camp. Kali assumed that Merlin wasn't comfortable about the Druids —or anything magical for that matter—, so she did her best to avoid everything she could. They didn't see a single soul. Even if she wasn't purposefully avoiding people, they still wouldn't have run into everyone. All the druids were gathered in the center of the camp, grieving for the dead.

Maribelle looked up when the entered the tent. Saying that she was surprised that Merlin was there was an understatement. Her eyes grew as large as the stars. If Kali didn't know better, she would say that Maribelle was looking at a god or something. In fact, it looked like she was prepared to boy down before the servant. Her son, Jerome, didn't seem to care about Merlin at all. The children was busy cutting up herbs and mashing them in a wooden bowl. He smiled in greeting at the two before continuing his work.

"Kali, what is he doing here?" Maribelle asked in a haze.

"He's here to help." She replied. "He knows a lot about medicine. He says that me might even know what's wrong with them."

Merlin nodded. "I just need to look at them to be sure."

Maribelle gestured towards the full tent. "Please, go ahead. Tell me if you need anything. Anything at all." She sputtered. Maribelle wrung her hands together nervously. The woman turned to look at Kali with wide eyes. "Where on earth did you find him?"

"In the woods." Kali answered.

Maribelle nodded like that was the most normal place to find someone. She smiled. "Emrys is an amazing man. The Druids have been watching him for years. We are so fortunate that you found him."

Kali's eyes snapped to her friend's face in shock. She thought his name was Merlin, not Emrys. "Emrys? What are you talking about?"

Her friend's eyebrows came together in confusion. "You know, Emrys? An extremely powerful warlock? He's the one you brought back to help us." Kali paled visibly. Maribelle raised a hand to Kali's forehead. "Are you alright? I hope you aren't coming down with something."

She shook her head. "I'm fine." Actually, she was anything but. Kali was feeling something that she hadn't felt in a long time for anyone other than her family: worry. Paralyzing, earth-shattering worry. From what she saw, Merlin and Arthur were friends. Very good friends, but she doubted that the prince knew his servant was a warlock that went by the name Emrys. Kali immediately assumed the worst from Merlin. What was he planning? Was he going to hurt Arthur? She sincerely hoped not, but she couldn't take that risk.

Merlin returned to the two women. He told them that he was familiar with the disease. Maribelle and Kali were extremely grateful. Merlin also told them exactly what they would need to make medicine for the sick. He even helped Maribelle start the first batch. Soon enough, the entire tent of sick were on their way to becoming well again. Kali watched his every movement with narrowed eyes. She couldn't believe that she didn't know that Merlin had magic before. Now that she was aware of it, she could feel the power radiating off of him. Maribelle was right, he was a powerful warlock. The new information only made her worry double. She had doubts that she would be able to stop Merlin. And if she couldn't, then who would protect Arthur from him?

Ever since she joined the Solargarde, she never thought that another magic user would be a threat to her. To her, magic bound the people together like one, large, extended family. But in that moment, all those thoughts came crashing down like an avalanche. Like Morgause, Kali began to think that Merlin wasn't as nice of a person as she originally thought. A small part of her told her that she should trust Arthur's judgement and not do anything she would regret, but the other part of her was freaking out from the fact that a powerful warlock was so close to the prince without him realizing. Someone had to do something, and that responsibility fell on her shoulders.

And all these thoughts brought up another question. Why did she care? Kali couldn't come up with any other reason that she considered Arthur as a friend. He had, more than once, let her escape. Kali's respect wasn't easily earned, but somehow the prince managed to do just that in a matter of days. The fact that he was able to do that so quickly kind of scared the sorceress.

"Are you ready to go back? I'm sure Arthur is dying of boredom." Merlin said suddenly. Kali nodded, letting him take the lead into the woods.

When they were away from the camp, Kali took the opportunity. She pinned the servant to a tree with her magic. His eyes widen in surprised. Kali felt his magic pushing back, but she had the upper-hand. He was much more powerful than her, but being caught by surprise reduced Merlin's ability to concentrate on fighting back and gave her enough leverage to suppress his magic from being used against her. If Christiane was there, she would be incredibly proud of the sorceress for turning everything to her advantage.

"I knew we shouldn't have trusted you." He spat bitterly.

Kali narrowed her eyes. She slammed one of her knives in the tree next to his neck. "And what about you, Emrys? Does Arthur know that you're a warlock?" She responded with just as much venom.

He tried to fight out of her hold, but he couldn't. "I won't let you hurt him."

She took a step back, making sure that her magic kept Merlin to the tree. "What are you talking about? I'm not going to hurt Arthur."

Merlin rolled his eyes, despite the serious situation. "Then why am I pinned to a tree unless you mean to kill him?"

"To stop you from hurting him!" She exclaimed.

"What?"

Kali placed her hands on her hips. "Arthur's a good man but his father has done some horrible things. I'm sure that there are some magic-users out there dying to kill the heir." She took an intimidating step forward. The sorceress made sure that her head was held high and proudly. Her shoulders were relaxed and her back was stiff. If she was wearing a crown and a fancy gown, she could've been mistaken for a queen. "I will protect him from you."

The warlock's face shifted from anger to disbelief. "You're serious, aren't you?"

"Of course I am!" She yelled. Her irritation was growing by the second.

Merlin continued to stare at her with disbelief. The gears turned in his head. "Oh my, you are. You really do want to help him." He murmured to himself. The warlock shook his head, which was the small amount of movement that Kali allowed. "You have the wrong idea about me. I want to help him too. In face, that's what I have been doing since I arrived in Camelot!"

Kali's harsh stance faltered slightly. It looked like he was telling the truth. She looked for any signs of deceit and found none.

"Are you tell the truth?"

"Yes." He answered without hesitation. "Arthur is a good man. Someday he will make a great king."

She bit her lip in concentration. Everything pointed towards the truth. As she thought back, she realized that when Merlin looked at Arthur, there was no hate in his gaze. Just respect and friendship. And if she turned out that Merlin was plotting to harm Arthur, then she could just pin him to another tree. With a mutter of words, Merlin was released. He look in a deep breath then straightened himself.

"I'm sorry for attacking you." Kali apologized lamely.

Merlin tilted his head in surprise. He didn't expect to hear an apology. "I probably would've done the same." He said, neither accepting nor declining the apology. "I don't trust you." He told her bluntly.

She stiffened. "And I most definitely don't trust you."

"But we both trust Arthur, and that is good enough for now."

Kali nodded with a small smile on her lips. She pulled her knife out of the bark of the tree. Before they could start walking back towards Arthur, the prince came barreling towards him. He examined each of the magic-users carefully, looking for any type of injuries. When he found none, he was incredibly confused.

"Arthur, you were supposed to stay and make camp." Merlin told the prince.

Arthur held up the rock. "It started to turn warm. I thought that you two were in danger."

Kali felt the weight of the other rock in her pouch. Deep down she was touched that Arthur would immediately rush into action if they were in danger. She had a feeling that he was more concerned for his servant than her, but it still made her face heat up and for butterflies to dance in her stomach. Kali gestured towards herself and Merlin. "As you can see, we are perfectly fine. Let's head back and make dinner. I'm starving."


	13. Chapter 13: A Quick Visit

**This update is pretty much just Arthur/Kali time and is sort of filler, but still cute! Hope you like it! Oh, and I'd like to make it clear that Chelsey and Jordyn are a couple. I read through a couple of earlier chapters and I feel like I made it seem like the two were biological sisters, but that's not the case at all. xoxo**

**hateme101: Well, the problem is that even Kali doesn't quite know what's going on with Morgause! Thank you so much for taking time and reviewing!**

**Female whovian: Thank you! I thought it would be out of character for either of them to automatically trust each other right away. I'm glad that you thought so! :)**

**lilnightmare17: Merry (late) Christmas to you too!**

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The walk back to the horses was awkwardly silent. Merlin and Kali were busy trying to get an accurate read on each other while Arthur wondered if the wood would be dry enough for a fire.

It amazed her that Arthur hadn't picked up on the tension between herself and Merlin. There was always the chance that he had, but doesn't want to address it. If she were Arthur, she would most likely do that. Confronting issues between two other people always ended up messy, and she had plenty of experience. The Solargarde had quickly learned to stay away from Chelsey and Jordyn whenever they got in the occasional lovers' spat.

The sorceress was unsure what to make of Merlin. On one hand, she feared his growing power. It was only a matter of time before she would look powerless compared to him. But if she remained on friendly terms with the warlock, then she would have nothing to fear. Kali also hoped that their mutual concern for Arthur was enough to keep them from each other's throats. If I fight were to happen between the two, it would be a hard one to predict the winner. Kali had years of finely tuning her magic and Christiane's training on her side while Merlin had a power that was growing every second on his side. She hoped that they would never get a chance to figure it out.

She cupped her hands over her mouth. "_Asendan ærende æt Iseldir._" Kali whispered the spell. A small glowing orb appeared in her cupped hand and danced around her finger tips. It was no bigger than a beetle. She brought it close to her lips. "Gone into woods. Don't worry." The small orb lifted into the air and flew towards the Druid camp like a loyal faery.

"What did you just do?" Arthur asked curiously and with a hint of discomfort from magic being performed so close to him. She wasn't offended by the suspicion that flashed across Merlin's face.

"I sent a whisper so that Iseldir and Maribelle won't worry about me." Arthur frowned, her answer didn't really answer his question, but it's not something that could be easily explained to someone so closed off to magic.

The spell was incredibly simple. It was one of the first spells she learned from her parents. It let her send a message all the way from the woods to Iseldir back at camp without an ounce of effort on either of their part. Despite the convenience, whispers are a terrible form of communication given how easily they could be intercepted and that the small orbs often got lost on their way. Also, it could only spit out five words to the recipient which often couldn't effectively get a point across. While ineffective in the long-run, it was perfect for the moment. And if it didn't get to Iseldir, odds were that another Druid would find it.

They reach the place where Arthur was supposed to start up camp, which he did a good job. There was an adequate amount of firewood, the horse was tied up by the river, and the supplies were laid out for easy reach.

"So, what did you bring to eat?" Kali asked.

Merlin grunted as he plopped down on a log that was on the outskirts of the camp. "Meat and water. Delicious." He replied sarcastically.

Arthur sat down on the log next to his servant, leaving a small boulder for Kali to sit on. "Just meat?" Kali wondered aloud.

The prince grimaced. "Sorry if it's a little plain. It's all we brought."

She shook her head. "No, no, that's fine. I bet it will be wonderful."

Merlin shook his head with a smirk. "Not the way Arthur cooks it. He makes sure that it's long dead and charred before letting anyone eat it."

Arthur glared at Merlin. "There's nothing wrong with how I cook the meat."

The warlock merely rolled his eyes. "Sure there isn't. It would be fine if you would take it off the fire sooner than you do. It's like you _want_ everyone to suffer because of your cooking."

A smile twitched on the sorceress's lips while Arthur tried to explain to Merlin the importance of cooking the meat as much as possible. The two continued to argue until Kali cleared her throat. "Maybe I should cook the meat instead."

"Thank you!" Merlin cried out. Arthur whacked him on the back of the head with a small thud. Merlin muttered something about being under-appreciated then left to make sure that their horses were well fed. Him leaving her with Arthur was a sign that he was at least trying to trust her, which managed to touch her heart that he was making an effort.

Kali quickly went to work. Arthur had already gathered enough wood for a small fire. Someone will have to leave later on, but that was only a small issue that could be easily fixed. She arranged the wood in a specific way that Ratka and Christiane taught her. It was done without thinking since Kali had made so many fires that she lost count dozens of fires ago.

"The wood might be too wet for a fire tonight. If you can't get it lit, then I can try..." Arthur offered.

She held in a laugh. "Magic doesn't need dry wood to start a fire."

The prince shifted in his spot. "There are ways to start a fire without magic. You know that, right?"

Kali frowned, not quite understanding what he was getting at. "Of course I know. Magic is faster, though."

He shrugged. "The sun is still up and we aren't too hungry yet." Arthur reached into a pack and pulled out two pieces of metal. He held them up so that the sorceress could see it. It was flint and steel. Kali had seen a few people use that to start fires. She hadn't used one herself, nor did she have plans to when she could just chant a couple of words and have a roaring fire within minutes. The prince handed the flint and steel to the woman.

She raised a dark eyebrow skeptically. The prince didn't falter under her almost harsh gaze. "What are you saying, Arthur?" She asked, already knowing that he expected her to start a fire with the pieces of metal. Kali was simply giving him a second chance to take it back. Surely he had to see that letting her say a quick spell was much more convenient than a flint and steel. It was like he was purposefully making things difficult.

He shrugged under his armor. "I'm saying that it doesn't hurt to take the long way some times. It's not that hard, I can teach you." Arthur smiled reassuringly.

Kali wanted to refuse and use her magic anyways, but she say the sliver of desperation in his eyes. He _really_ didn't want her to use magic. Even after several days being kidnapped and exposed to the most magic he'd seen in his entire life, Arthur was still terribly uncomfortable around anything that involved sorcery, which did make sense. And after everything that happened, the least that she could do was at least try to not use magic.

"Okay." She conceded quietly. "You'll have to show me first because I have no idea what do with it."

Arthur got off of the log and sat by Kali's side. They were so close that their arms brushed against each other. Her stomach flipped at the sudden contact. Her lips abruptly curved downwards. Kali hadn't felt like that since...

"Are you alright?" Arthur asked suddenly, breaking her out of her thoughts.

Kali nodded hastily. "Just had my head up in the clouds. Now, how do I use a flint and steel?"

The corners of his mouth turned up into a small grin. He took the flint in one hand and the steel in the other. Arthur demonstrated by hitting the two against each other in a downward motion. Several small sparks danced to the ground. "You don't have to strike them too hard against each other to get a spark."

Kali took the flint and steel in her own hands. She made sure to lean over the tinder so that if a spark did catch, the wind wouldn't put out the small flame. The sorceress took special care to follow Arthur's actions. She smacked the flint and steel together and nothing happened. Kali wasn't used to not being good at things, and she had a feeling that this would be one of the few things that she would be horrible at.

Arthur gestured to the tinder. "You didn't hit them together in a downward—"

"I did." Kali hissed. She smacked the flint and steel together again. Like the last time, nothing happened. Why had is worked for Arthur but refused to for her? "It's broken." She declared finally.

Arthur stifled a laugh. "It's _what_?"

She glared at the flint and steel in her hands as if glaring at them will make sparks fly off. "It's obviously broken. No sparks came off of it."

The corners of his mouth twitched into a smirk. "That's because you didn't do a downward—"

Kali groaned, very irritated since she could've had a fire started already. "I did that and it didn't work!" She exclaimed. "Listen, I will just use my magic. It's—"

"Just try one more time." Arthur insisted. "I'll help you this time."

She grumbled several insulting words towards the flint and steel, but reluctantly nodded. Arthur placed his hands over hers. Her cheeks flared a rosy pink at his touch. Arthur didn't seem to mind how close they were sitting or what it could've looked like to Merlin who was within earshot of their conversation. But maybe he didn't mind because it didn't mean anything to him. If Kali were honest with herself, which she often wasn't when it came to matters of men, then she would say that she liked being close to Arthur. However, her mind spewed out lies that managed to convince herself that she was blushing because she was coming down with a fever and that the loud fluttering of her heart was because she was near the son of the king who tried to kill her family.

But she couldn't come up for a good excuse of why she didn't want him to let go of her. No, that was much harder to lie to herself about. His hands were so soft yet calloused from years of using a sword. Though his were much larger than hers, they were gentle and smooth in movement. Thinking about Arthur's hands so much only made her blush grow, oddly enough. Kali prayed to whatever god who was listening that Merlin wasn't watching them.

"See, downward movements." He said. Arthur moved their hands and struck the flint and steel together. Several small sparks fluttered down from the impact and lit a tiny flame in the tinder. After several minutes of poking and building up a tower of sticks, there was a raging fire before them.

Kali scooted away from the prince so that there was at least two feet between them. She clasped her hands in her lap. They were still warm from where Arthur's hands were. The sorceress quickly grabbed hold of her emotions. Her face was emotionless once again. "Thank you, but it's still much easier to use magic."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Merlin found himself trusting the sorceress more and more that he talked to her, much to his dismay and relief. He didn't want to trust her. Every bone in his body was screaming at him for letting someone from the Solargarde that close to Arthur. But as the minutes went by, he relaxed more and more in her presence. And based on how loose her posture was and the fact that she removed her belt of knives, he assumed that Kali felt the same way.

She didn't hide anything from them. When Arthur or Merlin asked her a question about the Solargarde or her early life, she answered truthfully. Sometimes she would just avoid the question, like the one Merlin asked about where the Solargarde was, but she didn't lie. Merlin liked her honesty. He especially like how good of a cook she was. He also appreciated that she hadn't mentioned his magic. Considering that they weren't even remotely friends, he was eternally grateful for her not ruining his life. It was starting to make sense to Merlin why Arthur had a soft spot for the sorceress.

He took another glorious bite from the meat. "Where did you learn how to cook like this?" Merlin asked after swallowing.

Kali shrugged. "I just picked it up from watching my sisters cook." She answered before returning to her food.

Arthur smiled at her. "Well, you are very good at cooking. Maybe better than the cooks in Camelot."

Merlin swore he saw Kali's cheeks turn a light shade of pink, but he quickly dismissed it. "Don't let Audrey hear you say that." Merlin muttered. Arthur shuddered at the thought of the hotheaded chef who had screamed at both Arthur and Merlin more than once for sneaking an early snack. It was not uncommon to hear her yelling from the kitchen and had became a very normal occurrence in Camelot. In Merlin's opinion, Audrey guarded the food more ruthlessly than a dragon guards treasure.

The sun had long gone down and the firewood was low. It was an uncharacteristically warm night for fall; neither Arthur, Kali, nor Merlin thought that there was a need to send someone out to gather wood. Plus, if it got colder, Merlin could always keep the fire going with his magic. As long as Arthur was asleep, though. On some level he envied how Kali was able to use magic whenever she wanted. She didn't have to be careful like Merlin did. Kali didn't have to keep appearances of as servant to the Prince of Camelot. But one thing he didn't envy about Kali was that —from what he could tell from the stories she told them— she never had a steady home. She was constantly moving from one place to another.

Merlin helped himself to seconds of the meat. "So... Ratka is the leader of the Solargarde, right?" Kali froze mid-bite. He missed how pale her face turned at the mention of the woman's name. "I did some research on the Solargarde a while ago, and it didn't list her name for some reason. And it was weird because I don't take the Solargarde to be a secretive sect."

"She _was_ the leader." The sorceress corrected quietly.

Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Was?"

Kali cleared her throat. "Yes, was. Christiane is the leader now."

"What happened to her? Did she...?"

She stood up abruptly. Kali wiped her sweaty palms on her dress. "I should go. My friends will be worried about me." She told them rapidly. Her eyes flickered towards the surrounding woods.

Arthur's eyes widened. "I'm sorry if I offended you or—"

Kali shook her head. "No, I really have to get going. I can't exactly sleep right on the dirt by the fire." She laughed humorlessly.

"You could have my blankets or Merlin's. Really you don't—"

"No." She interrupted. Kali gave the prince an apologetic smile. "I have a nice tent waiting for me. Plus, you both will need to return to Camelot tomorrow and I would just be in the way." The sorceress gave each of the men a nod. "Good night." With those two words, she abruptly disappeared into the woods.

Arthur's mouth opened like he wanted to say something, but then abruptly closed. Merlin glanced over at the prince with a worried expression. "We are returning to Camelot tomorrow, right?"

Arthur nodded. "We did what we came to do. There's no reason for us not to return." The Prince of Camelot laid him bed mat out next to the fire and covered himself with a cotton blanket.

_No reason my ass_ thought Merlin, but he kept his mouth shut. Saying that would only earn him more chores when they returned.


	14. Chapter 14: An Unlikely Betrayal

**Thanks for the support! Here's the update!**

**hateme101: Sorry to disappoint, things went a little bit differently. Even though they didn't go to the camp, I hope you like the update!**

**lilnightmare17: I'm trying my best! Ahhh school is taking up so much of my time!**

**Female Whovian: Thank you so much!**

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_Two Weeks Later_

Kali hummed as she braided white flowers into Madelena's dark hair in the candle light. Her brother, Abram, stabbed the air with Kali's knife. Occasionally she would stop him and tell him to fix his form, but he was having too much fun fighting off imaginary bandits to care. The small girl watched her brother fight off the invisible enemies with wide eyes.

"Kali?"

"Yes?"

"Are Abram and I ever going to learn how to fight like you and momma?" Madelena asked timidly.

Kali thanked whatever god that was looking out for her that Nizana wasn't around to hear her daughter say that. If she was, Nizana surely would've had a heart attack. "You'll learn when your momma says that it's okay." Kali answered carefully, knowing that whatever she said would eventually get back to their mama-bear of a mother.

Abram plopped down onto a rock next to his sister. "But she always says she will teach us, but never does!" He whined. "I want to learn how to throw knives already!"

Kali placed the last flower in Madelena's dark locks. "You will, you're still young." She responded.

Abram and Madelena groaned. "That's what momma says too!" Madelena cried out.

A smile climbed its way on the sorceress's face. "What your mother says is law." Kali told them. "And if you think that I will dare risk feeling her wrath because I taught you how to throw knives, then you're dead wrong."

"Kali." She turned at the voice. Brandi stood there with an almost worried expression on her face. The sorceress felt herself blood freeze.

"What's wrong, Brandi?" Kali asked cautiously.

The tall woman took a step forward so that they could talk at a comfortable distance. Abram jumped on her back, but Brandi barely noticed. She was a giant compared to them, even compared to Kali!

"Christiane's starting the charm ceremony now." Madelena and Abram gasped with pleasant surprise.

Kali frowned. "But that wasn't supposed to be until after midnight."

Brandi nodded. "I know. Christiane wanted there to be enough time to talk about something. She's calling a meeting after these two rascals get their second charms."

Madelena squealed with delight. "We're getting _another_ charm! Which one? Tell us, tell us, tell us!"

Brandi picked up the girl to hold her at her level. Madelena was several feet above the ground with her legs dangling helplessly. A smile was plastered to the young girl's face. "It's a surprise, young one. Now, go clean yourselves up. Nizana is waiting for you by the fire."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Margie had set up everything necessary for the ceremony immediately when Christiane told her about the change of plans. Sarah made sure that Morgause wouldn't be anywhere near the ceremony, since it was one of the best kept secrets of the Solargarde and Morgause's curiosity was insatiable. Nizana dressed the children in their best clothes while everyone else waited patiently for the beginning of the ceremony.

Christiane raised a blade in the air. It was an ancient blade that was said to be smelted with the blood of the first member of the Solargarde. Kali wondered if it was Ratka's blood used for the blade, or rather Suelargardiana. "_Quia lex vetus, sicut hic antiquum colligitur nostrae principiis. Humilis Solargard hoc faciat per saecula multa. Confirmat nobis. Is dat nobis virtutem. Dicimus in his, qui ante nos et virtutes erunt in duobus filiis dare beneficium delectat._*" (A/N: It's in Latin and translation is at the bottom.) Christiane stuck the blade into the roaring fire.

"_Largietur. Exaudi nos.**_" The Solargarde chanted in unison.

Madelena and Abram walked up to Christiane. She removed the knife from the fire. Madelena noticeably gulped back her nervousness. It always hurt to receive a new charm. Abram took his sisters hand to support her.

"Madelena born to the Solargarde, daughter of Nizana of Styrk and Harold of Camelot, do you vow to be loyal to the Solargarde and to not use any of your powers against it."

The young girl nodded. "I do."

Christiane gentle took hold of Madelena's arm. She made a small cut on the girl's arm with the knife. Madelena bit her lip to keep herself from crying out. The leader of the Solargarde reached into her bag and pulled out the wooden charm for bravery. She placed it over the cut. "_Æt se mægden._" Christiane's eyes flashed gold. The charm was now a part of Madelena. The young sorceress sighed in relief at it being over.

Christiane turned to Abram. The boy was doing his best to stay strong for his sister. His face was emotionless and his arm was already thrust out and ready for the charm.

"Abram born to the Solargarde, son of Nizana of Styrk and Harold of Camelot, do you vow to be loyal to the Solargarde and to not use any of your powers against it."

"I do." He swore to the oath.

Christiane did the same thing she did to Madelena to Abram. She whispered the spell and the charm became one with the boy. Abram sighed in relief, but hid it with a stoic expression.

"_Largietur. Exaudi nos!_" Everyone chanted at once, effectively ending the short ceremony. Years ago when there were dozens of members, the ceremonies took hours. But now it only took a matter of minutes.

The sorceress held the blade high in the air. "It is done! The Solargarde has become stronger, and may we forever continue to grow!" Christiane placed the blade on a nearby stone that was part of the ruins. "Livia, will you please fetch the High Priestess."

"Of course." Livia murmured. She disappeared into the ruins to find Morgause, wherever she was. Madelena and Abram rushed into Nizana's open arms. She whispered how proud she was of them which made the childrens' smiles grow from ear to ear.

Eva leaned towards Kali. Her wide grey eyes glittered in the fire light. "What do you think this is about? It must be important for Christiane to push forward the charm ceremony."

She shook her head. "I have no idea." Kali bit her lip worriedly.

Several minutes later, Livia and Morgause appeared. There was a slight smirk on Morgause's lips. Kali's worry doubled. The High Priestess said several things quietly to Christiane who silently agreed. Together they walked to the front of the group.

"The Solargarde is under attack." Morgause told them.

The women fell silent. "By... by who?" Oriold asked after several moments of shock.

"By none other than Camelot." She replied. Morgause's eyes narrowed at the name of Camelot.

Kali frowned deeply. "No we're not." The woman countered. Everyone's eyes snapped to her. Kali continued as if she couldn't feel their eyes on her skin. "They hadn't sent anyone after us, that we know of. The issue with Camelot has already been taken care of."

Morgause stepped forward. "And how do you know that Uther feels the same way? He _will_ hunt each of you down."

"But—"

"I have a solution!" Morgause interrupted with a harsh yell. "There is only one obvious way to keep the men of Camelot from ever hurting you or any magic-user ever again." She revealed to the Solargarde the tiara which she had carefully wrapped in red silk. "This tiara can only be worn by the decedents of the First Queen, the one who started the Bloody Conquering. Several years ago I found an old copy of the original spell to create the enchantment that kept the average person from wearing the tiara. I didn't know what it meant, until now."

Christiane nodded. "Morgause and I have worked for many hours, but we managed to write a disenchantment spell. With all of your help, we will lift that enchantment. Our power combined is strong enough to release it." She explained to them.

"So, you're saying that anyone will be able to wear the tiara and use its power?" Questioned Margie.

"Yes."

Kali's eyes traveled to Morgause. She was much too pleased with this. Kali's stomach flipped. "Why do we need to do this? I'm sure there are several of the queen's descendants here." She blurted to the Solargarde.

Livia narrowed her eyes at her friend. "Not everyone is the great-something granddaughter of the First Queen. You're the only one." She said bitterly.

"But what if the wrong person gets their hand on it?" Kali struggled to have her family see it her way. It wasn't safe to release the enchantment. Without it, it would be too easy for a bad sorcerer to use the power to destroy everything in their way.

Morgause shook her head. "That won't be possible. It will be used only by Christiane, or those she deems worthy to use its power. You do trust Christiane to keep it safe, right?" She raised an expecting eyebrow.

Kali looked towards Christiane. "Don't worry, Kali. It will be safe and only used by the right people. I promise you that."

The sorceress backed down. Her nerves were greatly calmed by Christiane. She was absolutely sure that Christiane would not let the wrong person use it. She would keep it safe. If she was going to be the one in charge of the tiara, then Kali was fine with the enchantment being lifted. In fact, Kali now felt slightly relieved that its power could be used where it was needed.

"We will have a vote." Boomed Christiane. "All those in favor with this plan." Everyone raised their hands. A smile rose on the leader's face. This was an uncommon event to have everyone agree. "It's unanimous then. When shall we start the spell?"

"Tomorrow." Morgause told her without hesitation. "It will be a long process which could take hours. We will need our rest."

"Very well. You are all dismissed."

Kali walked back to a makeshift tent that she made out of several blankets, two trees, and rope. She preferred sleeping outside than sleeping in the crumbling ruins. Maybe she was just paranoid, but every time she closed her eyes, she pictured the entire building falling on top of her. While it was warmer inside the ruins, Kali slept much better in her own special tent.

"Kali." An unfamiliar voice echoed around her. Out of instinct, Kali pulled a knife out of her belt and whipped around to face a woman she had never seen before in her entire life. The woman's golden hair fell to her waist. Despite its length, it wasn't tangled or frayed. Her almost black eyes dug into Kali's soul, or at least it felt like it. She wore a long yellow dress with a lace bodice.

She prepared herself to throw the knife at the woman's neck at a moments notice. "Leave." Kali commanded. The sorceress tensed when the woman took a confident step forward. "Leave now or you will regret it." She threatened.

"Now is not the time for threats, Kali. We must speak. I don't know how much longer I can keep myself together." She said. Her voice sounded far off and muffled.

Kali didn't waste another moment. Her eyes flashed gold and the knife flew towards the woman's neck. It should've hit her. Kali never missed her mark, and actually she didn't. The knife went straight through and impaled itself in a fallen log behind the woman.

"You aren't going to stop fighting, are you?" She crossed her arms and sighed. "My name is Brielle, but you know me better as Ratka, I suppose." She spoke clearly. Her social status was apparent with the clearness and fluency of her voice.

"Ratka? But, you're dead? You can't be her!" Kali cried out. She reached for a second knife, but didn't make any sudden movements that she might regret.

Suddenly Brielle was standing right in front of her. "Creatures of magic never truly die. We simply become one with the earth. And, technically, I'm not Ratka. I'm Brielle." She explained, only confusing Kali further. Brielle sighed again like this was a great chore. "Each time Suelargardiana died, she copied her soul into another body, but she always left fragments of herself behind. There are hundreds little versions of us bouncing around the earth." Brielle squinted her eyes with pain. "It takes an enormous amount of energy, but I managed to combine enough of those pieces to be speak with you. I must warn you of Morgause's intentions."

"I already know her intentions." Kali stated calmly while her heart hammered in her chest. She didn't like Brielle. Why wasn't it Ratka the version of Suelargardiana that gathered the energy to appear before her?

"Oh, do you now? And what are those intentions?" Brielle asked like a parent humoring a child.

"She intends to release the enchantment on the tiara so that she can use it to increase her power. But Christiane won't let that happen."

Brielle chuckled darkly. "You all are so young and naive without me leading the way. How I wished that I was still as innocent as you are. Morgause doesn't intend to release the enchantment, she intends to absorbs its power for her own."

Kali froze. Her mouth opened in shock. "The Solargarde..." She muttered.

Brielle nodded. "With the Solargarde's help, she will easily destroy the tiara and absorb the magic. The tiara is merely a fragile vessel for the magic inside of it. With the right spell and amount of power applied, she can take that magic and add it to her own. You have to stop her."

The sorceress's brown eyes grew wide. She was scared. Scared like the night she, Nizana, and Sarah were arrested and terrified like the day that her family was almost hanged in the middle of the square.

"I'll talk to them and make—"

"No!" Brielle burst out. She almost looked as scared as Kali felt. "They won't listen and things will still go as planned. Kali, you have to steal the tiara and hide it. If you don't, Morgause will bring as much pain and misery as my mother did. She will tarnish the Solargarde name and kill hundreds of people. _That cannot happen_."

She felt like crying. Brielle's words made sense. Her family wouldn't listen to her. They would push her off the same way they did that night. Kali loved them, but they were all so stubborn. "They'll never forgive me." Kali croaked out miserably. "I'll never be able to come back."

Brielle placed her hands on her face. "You must do this. You have to protect them from themselves. Maybe in time they will realize the truth." She finished hopefully, but it sounded false. Brielle knew that the Solargarde would never let her back as much as Kali did. Suddenly, Brielle's form flickered. Her face twitched. "Go!" She told her hastitally. "Take the tiara to Kilgharrah. He will know where to hide it."

"How do I find him?"

"Merlin will know. Find him and he will show you Kilgharrah." Her form flickered again. "Go!" Kali pivoted in place and ran. Time was limited.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Merlin massaged his neck. He tossed and turned all night. His dreams were filled with flashes of Kali crying, someone chanting over a fire, Kilgharrah, and a tiara that gave him a nasty feeling. The dreams were all a haze to him, but they were bad enough to have him wake up in a cold sweat. It didn't help that Arthur had him muck out the stables the first thing in the morning. Personally, horse dung was not what he wanted to smell right after he woke up from a nightmare.

Suddenly he felt like he was standing naked in a room. His eyes grew wide and he had to double check that he was indeed clothed. The feeling was like something he read in one of Gaius's books, but the warlock wasn't sure exactly where he saw it. Merlin simply shrugged and went back to work.

The stable door swung open. His head snapped up, which sent other jolt of pain through his neck. To his surprise, it was Kali. She was a mess. Twigs stuck out from her hair, her cloak was torn in a number of places, and her eyes were red. It was a wonder that she got through the streets of Camelot without being stopped by someone.

He flinched when she ran up to him. Kali gripped his shirt desperately.

"You have to help me, Merlin!"

* * *

**Translations**

(Note: I just stuck these into google translate, so it might be a little off)

*We gather here for an ancient ritual old as our beginnings. The humble Solargard has performed this many times over the centuries. It strengthens us. It gives us power. We call on the powers of those who came before us and those who will come to bestow the blessing of the charms on these two children.

** Bestow it. Hear us.


	15. Chapter 15: Kilgharrah

**Hey guys! Thanks for the support! I love it when I see that someone reviewed/followed/favorite the story! Just to let you know, my grandma has been really sick lately. So sick that doctor said that she has about two weeks to live. My life has just been a mess, so I'm sorry if I don't update for a while and if they aren't the best quality. But anyways, thanks for all your support!**

**hateme101: You'll just have to read on to see if Merlin helps ;)**

**lilnightmare17: Thanks for always reviewing!**

**SarahELupin: I'm so happy that you like it! No, I originally named her Kali because I thought that it was a cool name. But as I read about the Hindu goddess, I realized that Kali is kind of like her in some ways. The modern interpretation of the goddess is as a strong feminine symbol, kind of like Kali!**

**Red: Thank you!**

* * *

Kali felt sick.

Her life was crumbling to pieces, just like it had when her mother was killed by the run-away horse. The sorceress's stomach churned with sadness in the same way it did after her parents' untimely death. And in a way, her sadness was the same. The tight bond of family was destroyed the first time by forces out of her control, but this time it was Kali who killed the bond with her second family. All the terror and distress she felt was her fault. Kali couldn't bring herself to blame Morgause for ruining her life. Morgause didn't make her steal the tiara or go searching for a Kilgharrah at the command of a ghost. That was Kali who made those decisions, and she wasn't one to blame others when she was at fault.

But there was another feeling that was incredibly unfamiliar to her. It was the feeling of being lost. Even after she escaped her aunt's cellar, Kali felt like she knew what she was doing. She had a direction, even if she didn't quite know what that direction was. But standing in front of Merlin made the feeling of disorientation clear to her. Kali had no idea what she was doing or where she was going.

"What?" He asked incredulously.

"Help me, please!" She begged.

"But—" Merlin fell silent as Kali pulled out the tiara. His eyes widened. "What is that?" He reached out to touch it, but it jerked back. Kali caught it before it could fall on the ground. The warlock's eyes narrowed in suspicion at its movement.

The tiara hummed magic into her hand and through her veins. She felt the sudden urge to place it on her head. She _was_ a descendent of the First Queen, so she did have a right to its magic. Maybe just for a second...

"Kali?" Merlin called out cautiously.

Kali swore under her breath. She hastily placed a piece of cloth between her skin and the tiara. Power was tempting. "I have to hide this. I _have to_ give it to Kilgharrah. You know where he is." She stated boldly.

The warlock took half a step back. He wanted to say no, Merlin really did. But there was a look to her face that kept him from saying just that. Kali was desperate. If she had to ask anyone for help, Merlin would be one of the last people on that list. Despite this, there she was standing before him. From what he could tell, she wasn't a bad person. And if she isn't a bad person, then what's the harm in helping her?

"If you don't take me to him, I'll just look for him myself." Kali said, seeing Merlin's hesitancy.

"Okay." Merlin finally nodded. "I'll take you to him. Just tell me, is that tiara dangerous for anyone here in Camelot?"

"Only if it's in the wrong hands." Kali answered. His blue eyes flickered down to where she held the tiara then back to her face.

"And why do you think Kilgharrah's hands are the right ones?" He questioned, his tone slightly sharp.

She sighed. This could go two ways. First —and the most likely outcome—, Merlin would not believe her and end up not helping her. Even though Kali used to have the Solargarde standing behind her, the sorceress was used to doing things alone. This wouldn't be anything new. The second way would be that by some miracle he does believe and leads her to Kilgharrah so that the tiara can be properly hidden. "Because Brielle told me that it would be safest with him."

His dark eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Didn't she die decades ago?"

"She did. It was her essence that told me to give it to him. Please, we have to hurry."

The warlock thought to himself for several moments. After everything he had seen, somebody's essence giving commands from beyond the grave wasn't unbelievable. He nodded once, then again more confidently. Kali's eyes widened slightly with surprise that he was agreeing. "Okay. Make sure to keep your cloak down."

0o0o0o0o0o0

If Kali learned one thing while Merlin led her through the back streets and around tight corners, it was that it was incredibly easy to sneak around Camelot. Men and women never gave Kali a second glance, even though her cloak was suspiciously covering her face. Guards passed by without problems. Occasionally one would catch sight of her face, but their eyes didn't linger for more than a few seconds. There was one guard that Kali remembered seeing more than a couple of times. He stared at her too long for comfort. Luckily he didn't make a move to do anything. But if one guard recognized her, more were bound to also.

Merlin turned down into a dark hallway in a deserted part of the castle. The stairs went on for what seemed like forever. Merlin stopped right in front of a door. He sighed dramatically. "Let's just hope he's feeling like giving straight answers today instead of riddles."

He pushed through. There in the middle of the cavern was a large dragon staring at them with beady eyes. It ruffled its wings slightly at the sight of the two magic-users. Kali felt the air rush out of her at the sight of the majestic creature. Dragons were extinct. They were all killed during the purge, or they were supposed to have been. The power of the dragon was clear with the way it held itself. Even though it was bound to the ground with a chain, it still held its head high.

She turned towards the warlock. "Merlin, why did you take me to see a dragon? Where's Kilgharrah?"

The cavern rumbled with a dark chuckle. "Young one, I _am _Kilgharah." Said the dragon.

Kali shook her head. Her tangled brown hair tumbled around her. "But... you're a dragon! I thought that dragons were killed off. How...?" She drifted off.

"That is a story for another day that I will gladly share with you." He replied. "However, I have a feeling you came here for a reason other than to hear my stories." The sorceress took out the tiara. She unwrapped it from the cloth. Kilgharrah inhaled sharply at the sight. "Where did you get that?" The dragon asked quickly.

"A sorceress named Morgause was going to absorb its power. I stole it from her so that she couldn't do that." Kali peered up at the dragon. "She cannot get her hands on this tiara ever again. Morgause will only bring suffering."

Kilgharrah relaxed. Perhaps he thought that Kali came to use it against him. Whatever he was thinking, it was no longer on his mind. "Yes. I was barely a decade old when the First Queen rose to power. I remember everything that she did with her own power combined with that tiara. Surely Morgause's heart isn't as tainted as hers was, but no good can ever come from more power." The dragon regarded the sorceress curiously. "Why have you come? I sense that it involves a great sacrifice, but I do not know much more."

She held the tiara out towards him. The dragon raised an eyebrow but took the tiara from her with one of his large claws. "Brielle told me that you will keep it safe." She explained.

"Brielle? My dear child, she died years ago."

Kali shook her head. "Each time Suelargardiana made a new body for herself, a part of her died. The part that was Brielle told me that it would be safest with you." She took a confident step forward. "You will keep it safe, right?"

"Of course. I am always pleased to serve a daughter of the Solargarde." He replied. Kilgharrah laughed fondly. "Suelargardiana was always one to avoid death. Many times in different forms she has told me that it will never claim her."

Her heart wrenched slightly in her chest. Kali desperately missed Ratka. "She couldn't avoid it for forever."

Kilgharrah set the tiara down on the rock next to his claw. The dragon looked almost remorseful. "A new era had begun. One that she wasn't made to be a part of." He told her cryptically. Merlin shook his head slowly at the dragon's weird sentence.

Her eyebrows came together in confusion. "What kind of era?"

The dragon simply grinned at her.

"Goodbye, sorceress and warlock. I'll remove an extra enchantments placed on the tiara that he may have put on it. Morgause will have no hope in ever finding it again." The dragon called out. Kali fought back the urge to reply that she wasn't done talking with him. That could be seen as rude, and a dragon is a creature somebody definitely doesn't want to be rude to. "Do not forget your promise, Merlin."

Merlin frowned before grabbing Kali's arm and walking back into the castle's corridor.

"So," he started, "a sorceress named Morgause tried to steal that tiara's power, right? And you brought it to Kilgharrah to hide it from her?"

"That's right." Kali said.

Merlin turned towards Kali and stopped walking. "And Morgause isn't a good person."

She nodded. "She would've used to power to hurt Camelot."

The warlock's face screwed up into one of deep concentration. "Why? Why would you help Camelot after everything that has happened?" Merlin sat down on the large staircase. Kali sat next to his side awkwardly.

She shuffled her feet on the stone. "I hate Uther." Merlin's head shot up to look at her in shock because of how blunt she was. Insulting the king could earn her an execution if the wrong person heard it. "I hate him so much. He's a dishonorable man. I will not be sad to see him die." Kali seethed. Merlin raised an eyebrow at her outburst but didn't say a word. "But even though I hate Uther, that doesn't mean I hate Camelot. Arthur's a good man. And I'm sure that there are many good people living in Camelot. If Morgause seeks to destroy Camelot, that means she wishes to destroy all those good people. I don't want that to happen."

The woman paused. "I didn't do this just for Camelot. She's taking advantage of my family for her own gains. Morgause is using them. I think I hate her more than I'll ever hate Uther."

Merlin slowly soaked in her words. He mentally made a decision; one that would change everything. "How long are you going to be in Camelot?" He questioned curiously.

She shrugged. "I don't know. There's no where else for me to go."

"Well, you can... stay here." Merlin offered. He faltered slightly under her intense gaze. "I mean... Gaius is old. He needs a little help here and there. I'm usually too busy doing chores that Arthur gives me to properly help him. Gaius will really appreciate having an assistant." When Kali didn't say anything, Merlin immediately back-tracked. He would be lying if he said that he wasn't slightly afraid of her. "You don't have to if you don't want to. I just thought that if you—"

He jumped in surprise when Kali engulfed him in a tight hug. "Thank you." She murmured.

"Honestly, you're doing Gaius a favor." Merlin joked. "I think he gets lonely when I'm out. At least now he'll have someone to talk to instead of himself."

She pulled away and straightened out her dress which was covered with dirt. Kali instantly became aware of how incredibly dirty she was. If she had a mirror, Kali would only be horrified of her appearance. Appearances meant nearly nothing to Kali, but she did have standards. Merlin and Kilgharrah had been kind enough not to say a thing, but she couldn't imagine how someone else would react. Kali didn't even want to think what Arthur would think if he saw her in this state.

"Come on. I'll take you to Gaius then I have to get back to my chores before Arthur skins me alive."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Books. So many books.

Books never truly interested her. It baffled her how people could take a book and read it for hours. The only reason she read was for information that she would immediately use in the real world. And since most of the most of the Solargarde was illiterate, books wasn't a large part of her life. But clearly it was for Gaius.

Stacks of leather-bound textbooks and encyclopedias tower above jars of neatly labeled ingredients —most of which she was familiar with.

"Merlin, what—" An elderly man popped around the corner. He stopped abruptly at the sight of the sorceress.

Merlin held his hands out in front of him as if the man was going to lunge at him. "Before you get angry, Gaius, just listen to everything."

Gaius shook his head. "Why would I be angry? Merlin, who is that?"

Kali smiled with a smile that she reserved for schmoozing. "Hello, sir. My name is Kali."

The man grinned at her formality. Something told her that Merlin wasn't nearly as formal with Gaius. "It's very nice to meet you Kali. My name is Gaius. I am the court physician for Camelot." He shot Merlin a look that asked why he couldn't be as polite as her. Merlin fought back a sigh. He hasn't even known Kali for more than a minute and Gaius was already comparing her to Merlin.

"She wants to be your assistant." Merlin told him.

Gaius blinked at him. "Assistant?"

"Yes, assistant." He pressed.

The old man considered it for a few seconds. "I apologize but I am in no need of an assistant. I have Merlin."

"I'm from the Solargarde." Kali blurted out. Gaius instinctively took a step back. "I have no where else to go. Please, let me help."

The old man glanced frantically from Merlin to Kali. He wondered if Merlin was under some sort of enchantment. "May we have a minute to speak?" He asked through clenched teeth. Gaius motioned to a door. "There's a water basin through there that you can clean yourself."

Kali went through the door, but not before hearing Gaius cry out several choice words. She held back a snicker. Merlin would have a lot of explaining to do.

The water in the basin was cold, but she warmed it with her magic. After washing as much dirt off as she could, Kali realized that she was too noticeable. Her face was plain —painfully so—, but it was rememberable. How could someone not remember her face after being arrested and freeing the entire the Solargarde from execution? If she was going to stay in Camelot, she needed to change her look. Conveniently, there was a pair of shears next to the water basin. Without hesitation, Kali clipped her hair.

Piece by piece, her hair fluttered to the ground. Girls paid too much attention to hair. She didn't understand why. It was just hair. Because of her indifference, chopping off half of it was no problem. And if she read the ingredients in the other room properly, then she could make a potion that would lighten her hair several shades. After that, not even her Solargarde sisters would immediately recognize her.

She missed them so much. They were her life. Kali did what she had to. If given another chance, Kali would've stolen the tiara.

Suddenly, she felt like she was standing naked in the middle of the room.

Kali gasped so loudly that the conversation on the other side of the door stopped. Somebody was performing a location spell on her. Ratka trained her for this. The deceased sorceress told her exactly how to block a location spell. Kali had to make a ruin to hide herself. There hadn't been a reason to make one before, so she was unprepared. The only choice was to activate her charm of obscurity until a more permanent solution was made.

She rolled up her sleeve and pressed her fingers on the correct rune. "_Macion._" It glowed a dull yellow. The feeling of vulnerability disappeared as fast as it came.

The Solargarde wasn't able to find her. For now.


	16. Chapter 16: Changes

**Hey guys! This is somewhat shorter than the last update and it's a bit of a filler (and unedited :o), but it needs to happen. Next update will be the Witch Finder. Hmm... I wonder how Kali's presence is going to change the story ;)**

**hateme101: You'll find out in this update! Thank you so much!**

**lilnightmare17: Don't worry, I'm writing as much as I can!**

**CHARLES CHUKU: Yes he will. Kilgharrah doesn't want it to go into the wrong hands like Kali.**

**SarahELupin: Thanks :(**

**Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967: Thank you! I hope you read on!**

* * *

Gaius finally allowed Kali to stay at Merlin's insistance. While the man said yes, the anxiety on his face was as plain as day. He tiptoed around Kali as if she were a sleeping lion. Non one missed his flinches when she moved too quickly. He was on his toes, looking for any reason not to be comfortable around her. She could imagine the type of stories that he heard about her family. To be honest, Kali would've been insulted if he wasn't slightly afraid of her. She did come from the Solargarde afterall.

She added the last herb necessary. It fizzed, threatening to boil over the top.

"And this will change your hair color?" Gaius asked skeptically.

Kali nodded. "Hopefully no one will recognize me." She looked over at the elderly man. "You don't happen to have any wormwood, do you?"

Gaius frowned. "Of course. There's always a fresh supply in the cabinets. Why?"

Kali shrugged indifferently. Her nimble hands poured the liquid into a small vial. The dose will last her about a month. "I was just wondering. I hope you don't mind if I go through your supplies to see what you have."

He shook his head. Gaius picked up a book of anatomy. Kali caught glimpses of pictures of organs that she didn't know existed. Perhaps one day Gaius could teach her about human anatomy. "No, I wouldn't mind at all. It's important for you to know. If you think that I'm missing something, be sure to tell me."

She didn't know why she lied to him about her true intentions. It wasn't like she was doing anything evil. But if she were completely honest, she didn't trust Gaius. Kali only began to truly trust Ratka a year after she took her in the Solargarde. She was always the one to trust new members the least; her voice was constantly the one insisting that another member shouldn't be added. The truth was that Kali didn't give out her trust easily, but that didn't mean that she didn't have any for the new people around her. She trusted Arthur not to kill her, same with Merlin. But she most definitely didn't trust them with her secrets or family.

She raised the vial up to her lips. The mixture scraped her throat on the way down and plopped uncomfortably into her stomach. Her gut twisted into knots, but the effects of the mixture were instant. Starting from the roots, her hair turned a dirty blonde. Odd change, but one that she was willing to live with.

Gaius peered up at her from behind his book. He raised a white eyebrow. "That's a unique change." He commented. "I barely recognized you and I saw your hair change for myself."

So that she wouldn't offend the man, the sorceress quickly cleaned up after herself. "I should hope so." She said while she placed a jar of herbs back in the cabinet. Kali opened the cabinet doors wider. Almost every herb imaginable sat before her in tiny glass jars. Ranging from common ones like sage to rare herbs that she vaguely remembered hearing Ratka tell her about. It was incredibly impressive. "How do you possibly have so many herbs?"

"Oh, Merlin constantly goes into the woods to get new supplies." Gaius smiled to himself. "I have a habit for hoarding herbs. Some of those are decades old. Most likely useless by now, but I hold onto them just in case."

What he said was true. Some jars were sparkling clean with green herbs while others had a layer of dust piling high on top of it. In the corner of the cabinet was the wormwood. Because of it being a particularly soft wood, it's idea for making runes. When Gaius had his eyes glued to his textbook, Kali swiped a small chunk of it, hiding it underneath the front of her dress. Kali silently vowed to herself that the first moment she was alone, she would begin carving the rune.

The door slammed open. "Gaius!"

Kali whipped around. Arthur walked in with Merlin in tow. The warlock was protesting loudly, but the prince pretended not to hear a word. Merlin's wide eyes met hers.

Arthur nodded to her. "Milady." He greeted curtly. "Gaius, Merlin is in need of sutures. He clumsily cut himself when he was cleaning my sword."

Merlin scowled. "I'm fine. I've been hurt worse."

The prince frowned right back. "Let Gaius be the judge of that." He insisted.

Gaius walked over to the servant. Merlin clutched a fabric to his forearm. With extreme carefulness, Gaius removed to cloth to reveal a long, straight gash in Merlin's forearm. It was more serious than he imagined. Merlin was lucky that he didn't hit a major blood vessel. The physician's eyes widen at the sight. He gestured towards Kali. "Go! Get my supplies. It's in the first cabinet by the wall."

Kali froze. Arthur's eyes met hers. He recognized her immediately when he saw her brown eyes. He wouldn't forget those eyes.

"Kali!" Gaius pointed towards the cabinet.

Instead of moving towards the cabinet, Kali stormed up to Merlin. Her magic buzzed in her fingertips. All three of the men instinctively took a step back, but she paid that no mind. Merlin yelped when her hand wrapped around his arm with the wound. "_Hælan benn._" Her brown eyes flashed a rich gold. A surge of power blasted from her hand and into Merlin's forearm. Before their very eyes, the wound stitched itself. Kali sighed, content with herself. "A wound that large could've gotten infected." She explained to the stunned men. "It's much easier for me to just heal it with magic."

The three men's eyes were wide with looks of wonder, surprise, and fear. Gaius was the first to recover. "We are... thankful but you cannot use your magic to heal people in Camelot." He said slowly. His voice was tense and careful.

Kali shrugged. She understood that, but this wasn't a random person off of the streets. This was _Merlin_. He already knew about her magic, so why not help him in the way she knew best? The sorceress snuck a glance at the dumbstruck prince. Kali was dreading the moment that Arthur found out she was in Camelot. She wasn't daft enough to think that they would never see each other again. She just didn't think it would be this soon. The sorceress didn't have enough time to prepare a carefully edited story to keep the prince blissfully ignorant of what was happening around him. Now she would have to present a half-cooked explanation that she knew Arthur wasn't going to accept easily.

"Arthur, would you like to speak to me?" She offered with a raised eyebrow. He wasn't going to ask to speak alone, so she did it for him. His eyes still had the far-off look to them, but he nodded.

Gaius nudged Merlin. "Come, I need more herbs anyways." The two left the room. It was just Kali and Arthur alone.

The silence was unbelievable awkward. For several moments he just stared at her while she shifted on the balls of her feet.

"What's wrong with your hair?" Her eyes snapped up to his. His face transformed from one floating in the clouds to one of pure horror. The prince's cheeks transformed into cherries. "I didn't mean it to sound... I didn't... there's nothing wrong with it." Arthur sucked in a calming breath. "It's different." He finished.

"I can't be recognized." She answered simply. "If I'm going to be staying here, then I can't have guards chasing me around screaming 'sorceress'."

"_You're staying_?" The voice was a mix of disbelief and an indescribable emotion. Kali guessed it was anger, since she would be angry too if she found out someone like her was staying in the same castle as her.

The sorceress casually leaned against the table. "You don't have to worry. I've been outcast." She told him bitterly. "It's just me staying here, not the entire Solargarde."

He raised an eyebrow but didn't comment anymore about her situation even though there were a million questions buzzing through his mind. Living near Uther has taught him that sometimes it was best to keep quiet about something. The prince crossed his arms and straightened his back. While to any other person he would seem intimidating, Kali was only amused. Many men had attempted to intimidate the sorceress, which usually ended with a knife sticking out of the man's arm.

"You can stay in Camelot, but I have conditions." To be honest, Kali didn't think Arthur would concede so easily. It almost made her suspicious of how readily he accepted it.

"What are your conditions?" Kali asked.

Arthur's mouth straightened into a tight frown. "You will not use magic within the borders of Camelot. And if you even attempt to hurt my father, Merlin, or any other citizen of Camelot, I won't hesitate to force you to leave."

The sorceress imitated Arthur's stance. Her chin raised in defiance. "I deny your conditions." She boldly said.

The prince's face was the epitome of surprise.

Kali held out a finger to keep him from speaking over her. "I have a proposal, however." She eagerly took a step forward. Arthur tensed at her movement. "During my stay in Camelot, I will respect your laws. I will not use any magic unless I deem it necessary. And if I hurt someone, it will be because I thought that they were going to hurt me."

Arthur soaked in her words. Kali was in no position to boss him around, and she knew it. She was walking a thin line. Kali was an outlaw. Arthur could just as easily throw her in jail as he could banish her from Camelot.

He nodded slowly. "That's... fair." Arthur uncrossed his arms and his stance relaxed. "Camelot comes under magical attacks occasionally." He said, effectively throwing off the entire conversation. "If we are attacked, can I count on you as an advisor?"

Kali leaned forward in interest. "An advisor?"

"Yes. It would be good for Camelot to have someone that understands magic."

The temptation to tell Arthur about Merlin rose. Surely he would trust his servant and friend more than he would trust a sorceress who aided in his kidnapping. But Arthur doesn't have any other options, that he knows of at least. When Merlin does reveal his magic, she had no doubt that he would have no more need for her. By then she should have a back-up place to live and she would be just fine.

Her head bobbed up and down. "Of course. I will help you if there's a magical attack."

Arthur let out a relieved breath. "Good."

Little did either know that this day would lead to many adventures, tears, and moments of happiness mixed in with terror. The start of their adventure truly began at this moment. Finally, they were working together instead of against each other.

This was the moment that changed it all.


	17. Chapter 17: The Witchfinder Part 1

**Hey! Here's another update! Hope you guys enjoy this one!**

**hateme101: I'm glad :) And considering that Arthur noticed her eyes the first time they 'talked' and that her eyes were the only thing that Kali didn't change about herself, I felt like he would recognize her.**

**Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967: I'm super happy that you do!**

**lilnightmare17: :D Thank you so much for reviewing so often! I'm happy that you like the story!**

**CHARLES CHUKU: Thank you!**

* * *

Merlin looked up abruptly from his book with his face deep in thought. "Kali?"

"Yes, Merlin?" She hummed in response. The sorceress flipped the page to the anatomy book that Gaius loaned her.

"Do you remember when you pinned me to the tree in the woods with your magic?"

She nodded, keeping her eyes on the book. "I do." She answered.

Merlin pursed his lips. "How did you do it so easily?" He asked curiously. "You somehow made my magic useless against you."

Finally she put down the interesting book. The woman looked Merlin in the eyes. "Your magic is stronger than mine." She told him bluntly. "But even though your magic is strong, you lack control. Without control, all that power is useless." Kali tilted her head in thought. "Have you ever had any formal training with your magic?"

He shook his head.

Kali weighed her options. If she was going to help him gain control, the results had to be in her favor. A strong warlock was a potential asset to use for her gain or protection. Selfish reasons aside, she genuinely wanted to help Merlin. He took her in, so the least she could do was to give him tips about magic. They had potential to be friends, and that wasn't something Kali brushed off easily. Plus, she was curious to see what things Merlin could do when he gained full control. All she knew was that it would be amazing things.

"This is something that we used in the Solargarde to gain control. It takes concentration and patience to do it correctly." She told him as she got out a candle. Kali set it on the table between the two. With a flash of gold eyes, the wick of the candle was aglow with a small flame. A small trickle of smoke floated up into the air. Her mind focused on the smoke. Before their eyes, she transformed the smoke into a story. The form of a man bent down to kiss a woman's hand. "Once upon a time, there were two lovers." She said. Her eyes glazed over as the memories flashed past her eyes. "The man loved the woman, and often told her so. He showered her with flowers and gifts."

The smoke transformed from the lovers to a rose. "And she loved him too. Very much. It was their destiny to love each other, but their fate wasn't to be lovers forever." The petals of the rose fell off one by one. "No, they were destined to break." Kali paused, deep in thought. "The end!" She finished hastily.

Merlin blinked several times. "That wasn't a good story." She only shrugged in response.

"Now you." The sorceress urged.

Merlin's eyes flashed yellow. The smoke bent as if it were trying to form an image, but it just looked like a mess. The warlock grit his teeth. Control was what he needed to move the smoke to his will, and he didn't have that. Yet. A vein twitched on his forehead. That's when Kali knew that he was pushing his limits too far. Some boundaries are made to be broken, but to break the boundaries of a person's magical limitations had the potential to turn fatal.

Her hand fell to his arm. "That's enough, Merlin. Don't hurt yourself."

His eyes broke away from the smoke. He sighed. Merlin stood up from the table. "I might as well get started on my chores. Tell Gaius that I will be collecting firewood. We almost ran out last night."

She nodded. "I know. I heard Gaius's teeth chattering the entire night."

Merlin stopped at the door. He tapped his fingers nervously on the wood. "Do you... think that you can help me with control?" He asked suddenly. "Gaius prefers for me to not use my magic unless I have to, and he hasn't practiced magic in years."

Kali smiled. "Of course. Be warned, though, that the training in the Solargarde is tough. I won't go easy on you."

The warlock smirked. "I think I can handle it." He disappeared behind the door.

Kali sighed. Her head throbbed with a headache. Gaius asked her earlier to organize his books. He would no undoubtedly scold her if she hadn't started before he was back from speaking with the king. The sorceress stood up. Her muscles stiffened, causing her to fall hard onto the floor. Something cracked, but that was the least of her worries.

"No, no, no." She chanted to herself. _This_ couldn't be happening. It was only a small charm, not a large spell. Sure, the charm had been activated the entire two weeks that she had been in Camelot, but surely her magic was strong enough to keep it going without fail. Just to make sure, she rolled up the sleeve to her dress. Kali gasped at the sight. The skin around her charm was as black as the night sky and was growing along the veins of her arm. There was only one reason for this. The silent killer: magical exhaustion. She found it ironic how only moments ago she was worried about Merlin exhausting himself when she should have been concerned for herself.

Christiane often spoke about the dangers of magical exhaustion because she went through it herself. The sorceress bitterly recalled it the 'worst week of her entire life'. She made up a three step process that she recited every time someone felt light-headed after a spell. It quickly became her mantra.

_List all possible causes_. Obviously a major factor was the charm keeping her family from performing a location spell on her. What pushed her over the edge was the spell to manipulate the smoke.

_Assess the damage_. Her skin was black and peeling. There was no doubt in her mind that she showed other symptoms without being aware of it too. Kali's head felt like it was about to explode with pressure. And she knew that it was only going to get rapidly worse. She feared for her life. Kali nearly laughed at the thought. After being attacked numerous times, hit with a couple of arrows five years ago, and nearly drowing in a disgusting lake, she had never felt this scared before.

_Create a solution_. She couldn't risk her family locating her. Because once they found her, they found the tiara. One choice she had was to remove the charm and run from Camelot, but they could easily manipulate her to tell them the location of the tiara. It was hard for her to say no to her family. They would easily get the answer. There was the rune she had been working on for two weeks. It was carved but it still needed to soak in the herbal concoction she made that was sitting underneath her cot in a rusty kettle. There was at least another day before it was ready.

The only true solution was to avoid all uses of magic, drink plenty of water with herbal infusions, and to rest. She preferred to not experience the worst symptoms of blindness and insanity.

Kali didn't know if she was going to die or not, which was a very real possibility. One thing she did know was that she was in way over her head.

0o0o0o0o0o0

The woman was near hysterics. Kali almost felt sorry for her. She would've felt sorry if it wasn't because she was reporting an act of sorcery that she was certain was Merlin's doing. All the while the woman spoke of a horse made of smoke, the sorceress felt Arthur's eyes on her. He obviously suspected her. She almost smirked at how surprised he would be if she told him the truth.

As she listened to the story, it became clear what a spectacular sight the horse of smoke must've been. Perhaps Merlin had more control than either of them thought. She made a mental note to explore more of that later.

Gaius sighed beside her as the woman continued her story with far more details than necessary. The elderly man's eyes wavered between the two-magic users. Merlin fidgeted nervously every time Gaius's eyes landed on him, which didn't go unnoticed by either Kali or Gaius. If Gaius suspected Kali, those suspicions were quickly thrown away at Merlin's odd behavior.

Uther leaned forward on his throne. "Are you certain that it was sorcery that you saw?" He asked.

She nodded. "Yes, sire. I have never been more certain in my life."

"And you swear this before you king?"

She nodded again, this time more urgently. "I swear it."

Arthur's eyes flashed to Kali for what felt like the hundredth time. "Perhaps your eyes deceived you. It could have been a trick of the light." He said almost defensively.

The woman shook her head. "The smoke was alive!" She exclaimed. "I feared for my life." Kali suppressed a snort. Smoke wasn't exactly the most threatening thing out there.

Uther pursed his lips in thought. Everyone saw the gears grinding in his head repeating the words sorcery over and over again. And once Uther heard that word, he was about as easy to talk to as Chelsey when Jordyn was away hunting.

"Thank you for bringing this to my attention." The woman's eyes grew wide. It wasn't every day that a king expressed gratitude to the lower classes. "Your loyalty will not go unrewarded." He waved his hand for a knight to escort the peasant woman out of the room. Uther shook his head solemnly. "I cannot allow for this to continue."

"I will search for those responsible." Arthur promised. "I promise that they will not escape unpunished."

Uther narrowed his eyes. "Your search for the Solargarde was disappointedly unsuccessful, Arthur, and there were a dozen of them." He reminded. "No, in order to restore the integrity of Camelot, we need more powerful methods to weed out the sorcerer responsible for this attack. Send for the Witchfinder."

The courtiers gasped. Kali suppressed the urge to groan. What hole had Merlin dug himself into?

Gaius stepped forward. "Is it truly necessary to resort to such measures, sire?" The physician asked.

"The Witchfinder is of trusted value. His help will be invaluable." Uther explained. His face hardened with distaste. "And after the mockery that the Solargarde had brought on to Camelot, I cannot allow another sorcerer in our borders. The Witchfinder will be able to find that sorcerer at whatever cost. It is decided."

Gaius bowed his head. "Of course."

Uther glanced quickly around the throne room. "You are all dismissed."

Everyone filed out of the throne room. Kali was vaguely aware of Arthur moving towards her. The pounding in her head momentarily stopped when he grabbed her arm and pulled her into an empty hallway. Not even servants with arms full of laundry came down the hallway.

The prince pinched the bridge of his nose. "Please tell me that it wasn't you who conjured the horse."

Kali placed her hands on her hips. "Of course not. All my magic is performed with purpose, and a horse made out of smoke doesn't get anything done."

Someone passed by the entrance of the hallway. Arthur placed a guiding hand on her arm. Kali's heart skipped a beat. He pulled her close to the window behind a pillar so anyone passing by would not able to see the two talking. Only horrible rumors would be created at the sight of a servant and the prince whispering to each other in an abandoned part of the castle.

He leaned forward with a newfound urgency. "Do you think it was the Solargarde, then?"

She shook her head. "No. The Solargarde isn't one for large spectacles, and Uther knows that. That's why he isn't crying out about my family." Kali bit her lip. She had to defend Merlin in whatever way she could. Things were much more dangerous now for him and herself. It was important that Arthur did not find out about his manservant. "It was probably just a trick of the light, like you said." She reasoned.

His eyebrows furrowed. "But she was so sure of herself."

"People see what they want to see. Your father has created a paranoia for anything magical in Camelot. It could've been regular smoke that she thought looked like a horse and instantly thought magic. Or maybe she was lying for a reward. If she's desperate enough, she'll lie to anyone. Even the king."

Arthur tilted his head in thought. "Maybe you're right." He said at last. Her stomach churned with self-disgust. She had lied to Arthur so many times, and this wasn't going to be the last. As long as Merlin's magic was a secret, the lies continued to spew out of her mouth. Lying wasn't a new thing to the sorceress, but the act of deception was bitter when it came to Arthur. "I really hope that you're right. Camelot does not need another sorcerer in its borders."

Kali smiled. "Please, we aren't all bad."

Arthur rubbed the back of his head. His eyes searched her face for several moments. "You're the only one I know that isn't bad."

She instinctively looked at the floor. "Please don't say that." She mumbled. The pounding in her head slowly came back. Every breath only increased the pain.

"It's true." He replied without hesitation. "I can't think of a single magic-user in history that has willingly helped Camelot."

If only Merlin could hear him now.

Suddenly a wave of fatigue rushed over her. Her knees buckled. Arthur reacted quickly, keeping her from falling through the window. His grip on her tightened as she fell limp in his arms. Her head rolled back and her eyes were shut. If she wasn't just standing up, Arthur would've thought she was asleep.

"Kali?" The prince shook her slightly, getting no response. "Kali?" He repeated more urgently. Still the sorceress didn't respond. He had to find Gaius. Something was wrong with Kali.

0o0o0o0o0o0

_The refreshing spring air blew her brown hair back. Luckily for them, the winter wasn't harsh. Her father gleefully told them how the rivers were almost thawed. Soon he would be able to take Kali by the riverbanks to catch fish like they do every spring and summer._

_"Now, Kali," her mother sighed with both exasperation and endearment, "I don't know why I bother to teach you sewing when you don't bother to listen to what I'm saying." She tucked Kali's hair behind her ear. Her mother gave her a mischievous smile. "Perhaps we should go back indoors so that you won't be distracted by every passing butterfly."_

_"No!" Kali cried out. Her eyes widened at the thought of going back inside. "Please, no, momma. I like being outside. I can feel it."_

_"Feel what?"_

_Kali smiled. "Everything." The girl hopped up from her seat on the rock. "I can feel the grass grow. I can feel all the little bugs. I can feel it. Winter is over and everything is alive!"_

_Her mother smiled. "Stop being silly and help me stitch up your father's last good breeches."_

_She reluctantly plopped down on the rock. Her mother handed her a needle. The girl quickly got to work. Over and under. Over and under. It was the same motion over and over again. How her mother was so entertained by sewing all day was a mystery to Kali. To her it was tedious work that was futile in the end since all clothes tear eventually. Being a good daughter, she tried to explain this to her parents who merely laughed at her and called her 'a darling little girl'._

_Her mother inspected her daughter's work. She smiled. "See? You have a knack for sewing. Someday you might be better than I am." She mused thoughtfully._

_"Even with all the magic in the world I won't be better than you, momma." Kali replied._

_"You'll be surprised how quickly the student can surpass the teacher. When your father returns back from town with the thread, you will help me sew a new pair of gloves for your aunt."_

_Kali groaned. She really hated sewing. "But why?"_

_Her mother frowned then set down the fabric she was sewing. "Your aunt has been cutting her hands in the fields. The gloves will protect her hands. She is hurt and it is our job to help her. Family helps family. There is nothing more important."_

* * *

_The world was a sadder place that day. Her mother's funeral was short but sweet. The physician assured the family that her death was short, just like the funeral. She didn't suffer, and that's all that mattered. Wasn't it? Kali was a smart child. Her parents weren't invincible, nor did she ever think that they were. They were going to die one day, and she preferred for their death to be short and sweet. Just like her mother's was. But there was one thing she wasn't prepared for: the sadness that came along with death. That day that her mother's still body burnt in the funeral pyre, a part of her died._

_Aunt Olivia wrung a pair of worn gloves in her hands. She did her best to hide her tears from Kali, but she knew that her aunt was as devastated as everyone else was. Her aunt glanced over at Kali. The tears flowed faster. "Oh, honey, you look just like her." She babbled. Aunt Olivia wiped the tears under her eyes. "Go see if you can get your father to leave his room. He has been in there for days. Family needs to be together in times like these." Her mouth scrunched up in concern. "And if he dare tells me to bring his meal to his room one more time, tell him that he'll either have to join us or starve. He cannot live the rest of his life in his room."_

_Kali nodded curtly. Her aunt's sobs were still audible, even from the back of the house. She knocked twice on her parent's door. Well, it was her dad's door now._

_"Papa?"_

_No response._

_"Papa? Aunt Olivia said that we should all be together."_

_Again, no response._

_Kali grew restless. "Papa, can I come in?"_

_The small girl pushed open the door. She didn't even realize she was screaming until Aunt Olivia violently shook her shoulders to break her out of her trance. Her aunt's mouth was moving, but Kali didn't hear a word. Nothing mattered. Momma was dead. Papa was dead. Her young mind had trouble grasping what truly happened, but she was at least certain of those two things. Later Aunt Olivia would tell her that papa was sick. He was sick with sadness. Momma was his family, and papa did not want to live without his family._

_But wasn't she family too?_

_Aunt Olivia constantly told her that papa wasn't in his right mind. No sane man willingly disembowels himself in his home for his family to find. Kali knew that her father was sick. He was sick for the two weeks after the funeral. Sick people could be cured, however. Physicians gave them special medicine and they would be fine again in a couple of days. Yet no matter how many adults she asked, not one knew the cure for sadness. Maybe there wasn't a cure. Once you were infected with the sadness, it clawed its way through your body, tearing off bits of your soul. It devoured until you were nothing. And to go as far as to kill himself, papa must've felt like there was nothing inside where his soul should have been._

_For weeks after the incident she was terrified that she was sick too. It wasn't until one day, while she was sitting in by the pond with Aunt Olivia, that she realized that she never caught the sickness in the first place. They smiled and laughed together, splashing each other in a very unlady-like fashion. On the way back to her aunt's cottage, she discovered that inside she felt something. And that something was only growing. When she looked over at Aunt Olivia, she looked like there was something in place of her soul too._

_That's when she knew that everything would be okay. They would be alright._

* * *

_Aunt Olivia slapped Kali across the face. Her grip tightened on the girl's arm. "Demon, leave my niece alone!" She cried out. Aunt Olivia tugged her out the door towards the back of the house._

_Kali pulled back with all her strength, but she was no match for the woman who grew up working in the fields. "Please stop!" Kali shrieked. Maybe someone would hear her and run to her rescue. Why was her aunt acting like this? All she did was help her clear the fields. Did it matter this much to her that she used her magic? Her aunt was a hard-working woman. Maybe she was upset because all Kali did was mutter a set of words instead of clearing the field with her own hands._

_Aunt Olivia only cried harder._

_"You're hurting me!" She pulled hard but Aunt Olivia firmly grasped her arm. She didn't dare use magic against her aunt. Kali was terrified of hurting her._

_"I know." Aunt Olivia mumbled through her tears. "I know, and I'm sorry. But you'll see. Family helps family. You don't see it, Kali, but I'm helping you."_

_When they rounded the corner of the cottage, that's when Kali realized where they were going: the cellar. The one place where the sun didn't touch. It was deep under the ground, making it too like a grave for Kali to be comfortable._

_"Aunt Olivia, stop it! You're acting sick just like papa was!"_

_Her aunt sadly shook her head. "No, you're the sick one!" She yanked open the cellar door. "And when someone's sick, you call for a doctor. I love you Kali, that's why I want to help you." Aunt Olivia pulled her closer to the gaping pit in the ground. "I'm doing all of this because I love you."_

_With one solid push, Kali was locked in the dark cellar. Nobody heard her never-ending screams._

* * *

_Kali defiantly crossed her arms. Her magic bubbled under the surface, prepared to protect herself against the mysterious woman. "Who else is in the Solar... Solarguer..."_

_"Solargarde." Ratka calmly corrected. The woman relaxed against a tree. "As of today there are only six woman, including myself. There's two girls there named Livia and Margie. They're about your age. Livia came to us when she was in almost the same position as you."_

_"How do I know you aren't trying to hurt me?" Her voice shook as she spoke. The memories of her aunt locking Kali in the cellar were still clear in her mind. And worst of all, the bruises on her wrists constantly reminded her of the look in Aunt Olivia's eyes. Kali had been told her entire life that family helps family. But that day, Aunt Olivia hurt her family. That was a lesson Kali wasn't going to forget soon: even the ones you love hurt you sometimes._

_Ratka tilted her head, as if she was trying to get a good view of the small girl before her. "Family is an odd thing, is it not?"_

_Kali's eyebrows came together in confusion. "What do you mean?"_

_"People often think that family is something that you can't choose. That blood is what binds family members together for life. Unfortunately, or possibly fortunately, they're wrong. You have the power to choose your family. _You_ have the ability to choose who gets to be close to you." Ratka leaned forward. "I can promise you that in my family we protect our own. There is nothing more important to us than each other."_

_Kali looked up at the woman's eyes. Her eyes spoke the truth. Ratka held her hands out in front of her. Carefully, Kali put her own on Ratka's. The woman smiled happily. "We'll choose you if you choose us."_


	18. Chapter 18: The Witchfinder Part 2

**This is actually taking me longer than expected to get through this episode, but I'm getting there! The next update will definitely finish the Witchfinder, so don't worry! I've also gone back and edited slightly. Don't worry, there are no major plot changes. Just grammar changes and I fixed some dialogue. Everything is pretty much the same, but if you want to go back and reread then I won't stop you. **

**hateme101: Yeah! Even though they're not terribly close right now, he still cares for her :)**

**Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967: Thank you!**

**xAnnaBananax: I'm so glad that you've given this a try! Thank you so much!**

* * *

She woke up with a start to something cold on her forehead. Kali vaguely remembered speaking with Arthur, but everything after that was pure blackness. The sorceress heard voices from the other side of the room. The sounds mashed together so much that they were unrecognizable. She couldn't open her eyes to see who was talking and the pounding in her head nearly made her pass out again.

"—it's our last choice. It may be necessary."

"But cutting off her arm! She won't survive that!"

"Gaius wouldn't do that if he didn't think there was any other options!"

"Are there other options? Gaius, I trust you as a physician, but there's no chance of her surviving her arm being cut off."

"There's no chance of her surviving _with_ her arm!"

"But are there other choices or not?"

"If she doesn't wake up and remove the charm, then we will have no other choice. I'm already in the process of collecting everything I need for the... surgery."

There were several beats of silence then a loud, exhausted sigh.

"It's fortunate that I'm awake, then" Kali said. Her eyes fluttered open despite how much she didn't want to. She turned her head to get a better look at the men. When she turned her head, she caught sight of a gauze wrapped around her arm over the charm.

Gaius rushed over to her. He sat next to her cot. "Kali, you must tell us what you're using your magic for." Her healthy hand traveled towards the gauze curiously. She had to see what it looked like. She had to see all the damage that she did to herself. Gaius calmly moved her hand away. His eyebrows came together in concern. "You shouldn't have to look at that."

Kali gulped. "It's my own body. I have the right to look." This time Gaius didn't push away her hand. Her fingers slowly unwrapped the gauze. Merlin and Arthur gasped at the shock, but Kali only felt numb. It was much worse than before. But then again, she wasn't expecting it to get better. The blackness had grown and her skin was cracked. Her skin reminded her of charred wood. Black and crumbling.

"I can help you." Gaius reassured.

"Can you?"

"Yes. Stop the charm and it won't damage any further. I have several creams that will help with the healing process. Anything to help you get better." The unspoken words hung in the air: even if it means cutting off her arm.

Kali shook her head. "I can't. I can't stop it."

His eyebrows came together in confusion. "Why not?"

She sighed. If there was a good time to come clean it was at that moment. "Because the Solargarde will find me." Kali told them. She froze mid-explanation. "Unless..."

"Unless what?" Arthur asked.

The sorceress didn't answer. She had to be sure. Despite the protests of pain throughout her body, Kali reached below her cot for the old teapot. Kali removed the talisman from the bottom. The rune expelled trace amounts of energy. Sparks of magic flew into her fingertips. A surprised laugh flew from her lips. For the first time in days, things were beginning to look up for her. With a swoop of the hand, she stopped the magic charm in her arm. The change in her strength was minuscule, but noticeable

Merlin shifted awkwardly on his feet. "What is that?" He asked even though already knowing the answer. Merlin read a lot of information on runes a long time ago.

"It's a rune to shield me from locating spells." Kali slipped it down the front of her dress where no self-respecting person would ever look without her permission.

Arthur frowned. He quickly connected the dots in his head. Suddenly Kali's circumstances were clearer than ever. And at that moment he realized that he hadn't questioned her as much as he should've when he first found her in Camelot. "Why are you running from them? What did you do?" He questioned.

Kali regarded him coldly for a couple of moments. He deserved answers. It wasn't right for her to act so bitter towards him for asking questions. Her face softened as quickly as it stiffened seconds ago. She sighed. "I stole from them. And stealing from the Solargarde is equivalent to the punishment of treason."

Arthur sat down in a chair next to her cot. "What did you steal?"

"It's not important now."

"_What did you steal?_"

Her eyes narrowed into two slants at his insistent. Kali straightened herself to look Arthur straight in the eyes. "Arthur, it is not something for you to worry about." Kali answered. It truly wasn't. The tiara was placed in the safety of a dragon. At the feet of a dragon was both the safest and most dangerous place to be. She was certain that the tiara was safe with Kilgharrah.

He leaned back in exasperation. "If it's so unimportant, then why can't you tell me what it is? Why can't you be honest with me?" He exclaimed.

"You want honesty?" Kali cried out. Arthur nodded earnestly. "Fine! I stole a tiara that has enough power to flatten the earth into a piece of parchment then handed it off to a dragon that lives below the castle!"

Merlin's eyes widened in pure shock, but he sighed in relief as Arthur scoffed at her. "You don't trust me, do you?"

"No." Kali said bluntly. "And you don't trust me."

Arthur blinked at her. His mouth opened as if to say something, but he sharply closed it with a twitch of the jaw. The prince abruptly stood, knocking the chair back a few inches. "Excuse me, but I am due to join my father in welcoming Aredian." Arthur excused himself so hastily that he only said that to get away from her. His feet stomped angrily as he moved out of the room. Arthur physically restrained himself from slamming the door behind him.

Merlin groaned. "Great. Now he will take out all of his frustration on me tomorrow morning." He wiped his sweaty palms on his shirt. "I'll be off to bed. Goodnight Gaius, Kali."

Lodged in the back of her throat a seed of guilt took root. As the night went by, it only grew. It thrived on her own frustration with the prince and the fact that she did not completely trust Arthur. Kali wasn't sure if it was because she didn't want to or couldn't. Everyone who truly knew the sorceress agreed that Kali wasn't an easily trusting person.

Back when Arthur was the Solargarde's 'prisoner', she felt more open with him, but that was only because she had the upper hand in their 'friendship'. He couldn't go anywhere she didn't go. Arthur was at her mercy. Now, Kali had no control over what Arthur did, which only made her recede in the shell that was her personality.

As a person that meant a lot to her said several years ago, she only grew colder the longer he knew her. His words never rang more true than at that moment.

0o0o0o0o0o0

"Watch your step. There's a slight dip in the road here." Gaius quickly pointed out.

Kali rolled her eyes for the millionth time. "Thank you, Gaius." She replied tightly. "I appreciate the help, but I am capable of walking by myself." Gaius loosened his hold on her arm at her words, but didn't completely let go.

The physician shook his head. "You may feel strong now, but that can change quickly. Many..." He paused. "_people_ die from exhaustion during this stage. They feel fine, walk too far away from help, and collapse. I will not allow that to happen when you are under my care."

A man suddenly approached the two. Gaius's hand tightened around her arm. Kali, feeling Gaius's apprehension, straightened her back defiantly. There was nothing more intimidating than a confident, determined woman.

"Gaius, isn't it? I never forget a face." The man said.

Gaius grimaced. "Nor I, Aredian."

She perked up at the name. "Aredian? The Witchfinder?"

Aredian examined her with a raised eyebrow. "Aye. I assume that you have heard of me." He cocked his head to the side. "I don't believe we have met. As I said before, I never forget a face."

The sorceress shook her head. "No, we haven't."

His eyes narrowed. She hadn't bothered to offer her name and Kali wasn't going to be the one to give it to him. Aredian regarded the two coldly. "So, Gaius, I hear that you're quite the pursuer of knowledge nowadays."

"Scientific knowledge, Aredian." Gaius correctly tersely.

The Witchfinder pursed his lips. "I see. From what I remember, you used to be quite the sorcerer. Am I right?"

Kali masked her surprise under a mask of coldness. She never thought that the physician practiced magic. It made sense, though. He had the soul for it.

Gaius's eyes shifted dangerously. "That was before the Great Purge. I can assure you that I have not practiced in many years and I don't plan to ever again."

Kali momentarily tightened her grip on Gaius's arm as a reassurance that she was there ready to defend him. "Do you have a point? If not, Gaius and I need to return to the castle. As the court physician, Gaius is very busy. People need his assistance." Her voice cut through the air like a sharp edge, but it barely scratched the surface of Aredian's resolve.

His eyes flickered back and forth between Gaius and Kali. "I was merely making conversation. I did not intend to offend you."

"Of course you didn't." She snapped.

"As you said, Gaius is needed. You both should go. I suppose we will be seeing quite a bit of each other." He mentioned casually.

Kali openly glared at the man. "And why do you say that? Are you saying that you aren't good at your line of work?"

Aredian chuckled darkly. "Oh no, I am quite talented at what I do."

"Then I suppose we won't be seeing a lot of each other if you are as talented as you say. Go find your sorcerer and be gone." He nodded silently and thoughtfully. His face was expressionless. Kali had no idea if he was irritated or amused. Either one, she didn't care much for the man. Gaius didn't like him. And Kali learned that if Gaius didn't like someone, it was for a good reason. That and she didn't like that he treated the physician like a criminal. The sorceress tugged on Gaius's arm. "Come on. Let's go."

She shot one more glare before turning her and the man attached to her arm around.

Gaius shook his head. "You shouldn't antagonize him." He said when they were finally out of Aredian's sight.

"Is he a good man?"

The physician was taken back at her question. "No, I don't believe him to be particularly good man. But what—"

"Then he deserves to be antagonized." Kali answered. "You worry too much. He's all talk. I've met plenty of men like him. He'll be gone before the week is over with an empty cage."

"Aredian is someone you should not underestimate."

"We'll see."

0o0o0o0o0o0

"Again." Morgause commanded.

Chelsey angrily slammed the goblet of wine down on the table next to the bloody knife. Couldn't Morgause see that it was useless? Kali wasn't stupid. There was no sign of her, and Chelsey doubted they would find any now after such a long time since the night it all happened. Plus, Morgause was pushing her to the edge of her patience. Even though she respected the High Priestess, she found the woman to get more and more irritating as the days wore on.

Chelsey grit her teeth to keep her tongue from betraying her like it always did. "We have been searching for days. Kali is nowhere to be found."

Morgause scowled. "She has to be somewhere. Keep looking!"

"Then why don't you try! Ever since Kali left—"

"Stole from us and ran away." Morgause cursedly corrected.

She continued like Morgause had not said a thing. "—I haven't seen you bother to pick up a knife to spill your own blood. Your hands are free from scratches while mine and my sisters' are always sore!"

Morgause narrowed her eyes. "_She_ is not my responsibility. _She _is not my sister. It is not my job to search for her."

The sorceress gripped the table to stop the scream of frustration in her throat. "If it's not your job, then why are you throwing around orders like it is!" Chelsey stood abruptly. "We are done here."

The High Priestess's eyes widened in shock. "Done? We haven't even caught a trail! We are no closer to finding the tiara than we were the morning we discovered it gone!"

_There it was again_. Tiara this. Tiara that. Honestly, Chelsey didn't give a damn about the tiara that Morgause was so obsessed with. All Morgause talked about was finding the junky piece of metal and hardly said anything about finding Kali. It was like she didn't even care about Kali's health. Chelsey, on the other hand, only thought of Kali all those hours she spent leaning over a map with a knife in her hand. She desperately searched for any sign of her sister. And if she had found her, Chelsey would not care if Kali threw the tiara to the bottom of the ocean to never be found again. She just wanted her sister safe.

Chelsey shook her head bitterly. "We're done. Me and the Solargarde are done with this." She immediately moved for the door.

"Christiane will hear of this!" Morgause called out before she left the crumbling building.

"Good! Let her hear, and she will agree with me!"

She slammed the door shut. First things first, Chelsey had to clean the fresh cuts on her palm. Abram always fetched a fresh pail of water every morning from the only clean well on the other side of the runes. Only a short minutes walk away was the Solargarde camp. They used to be sleeping in the runes of the Isle of the Blessed. But after what the called the 'Decline of Morgause', they wanted more distance between the increasingly irate woman. You would think that Kali stole her child the way Morgause was acting.

An arrow whizzed through the air and smacked loudly against the stone wall. Madelena applauded enthusiastically for her brother. Jordyn ruffled his hair affectionately. For a millisecond she made eye-contact with Chelsey. That was long enough to know that something was wrong.

"You're done quickly." Jordyn commented while jogging up to her.

Chelsey raised an eyebrow at the two children who started playing with a particularly sharp arrow. "Shouldn't you be watching the children? You know how they get when you give them the tiniest bit of freedom."

Jordyn pushed a stray piece of hair behind Chelsey's ear. "They'll be fine. Chel, did something happen?"

She pursed her lips. She felt like a hypocrite. Only days ago Chelsey defended Morgause after she was found shouting at the children for accidentally breaking into her room. But at that moment, Chelsey wanted nothing more than to spew out insults for the High Priestess. "She is making me very angry." Chelsey indulged through tight lips. "All she talks about is finding that tiara. She doesn't care about Kali at all."

Jordyn's lips curled in disgust. "Of course not. Why would she care about her? Kali isn't her sister. She's ours." Her hands fell on her hips. "So, you're seeing things my way now."

Chelsey quickly shook her head. "Not completely." She replied. Jordyn raised an expecting eyebrow. "While she is being an absolute load of rotten fish right now, Morgause is right about many things."

Her lover sighed. "So you still feel like destroying Camelot?"

"Absolutely."

Jordyn took Chelsey's hand in her own. "I'll go wherever you go. You know that." A loud rumbling sound of a wall collapsing broke the two women out of their conversation.

"Abram! Madelena! What did you do!"


	19. Chapter 19: The Witchfinder Part 3

**Thank you for supporting my story! I love you all! And just so you know, I skipped some scenes to keep the length down. So if you haven't seen the show for some reason, then you might be a little lost.**

**hateme101: I guess you'll have to keep reading to find out ;)**

**Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967: Thank you!**

**lilnightmare17: Don't worry! I'm on spring break so I'm writing a lot!**

**CHARLES CHUKU: Thank you!**

**SarahELupin: I does! And it will only get thicker!**

* * *

Kali stood as still as possible. Her teeth bit into her lip to keep the pain from showing on her face. Gaius applied a lotion to her arm an hour ago. He said that the stinging meant it was working. It hurt a lot, so Kali would be mad if it wasn't doing its job properly.

Merlin prated about each detail of his talk with Aredian. In her opinion, he was worrying about nothing. He didn't see that way given how he kept finding new ways to worry about. Merlin over-analyzed each word and action that Kali could accurately picture the entire interaction in her mind.

"He was really weird about it." Merlin whispered to her, almost fearfully. "He knows—"

Kali rolled her eyes. "Did you do... _anything_ in front of him?" She questioned.

"Well, no, but—"

"Then he doesn't know anything," Kali answered with confidence. "If anything, Aredian suspects you. That woman did name you as a witness."

Merlin shook his head. "Then he strongly suspects me." He looked over his shoulder to make sure that no courtiers were trying to eavesdrop. "Aredian looked for me. He knew where I was when I was doing errands for Arthur. His questions were super specific too."

Kali placed a placating hand on his arm. She barely winced at the jolt of pain through her limbs. "Like I said, it's only suspicions. Do not give him a reason to look for evidence."

The doors to the throne room swung open. Aredian walked in with his head held high and three skittish women at his tail. Uther looked up in interest. "Sire," Aredian announced, "I have brought three victims on the sorcerer. They are proof that the citizens of Camelot are being terrorized!"

Arthur's eyes snapped onto Kali, being the first time that he had looked at her since she entered the room. She slightly shook her head. The prince's eyebrows furrowed in deep thought before turning back to the Witchfinder.

"Please, go on." Uther commanded.

Aredian urged the women forward. "Come, my dears. Tell the king your stories."

The first woman wrapped her arms around herself. She looked thoroughly shaken up. She bowed before addressing the king. Her knees shook like she was standing on stilts. "Sire, I was drawing water from the well. Minding my own business. That was when... when... I saw them."

"Tell the king what you saw," Aredian urged.

"Faces," she told the court, her voice wavering. "Terrible faces in the water. They were screaming. Like the faces of drowned people screaming for help."

Hushed whispers fell over the throne room. All skeptical feelings Kali had melted away at the sight of the trembling woman. That sort of emotion was difficult to fake. The poor woman was terrified.

Aredian nodded to the next woman to tell her story. She kept her nerve better than the first woman, but nevertheless seemed nervous. "A goblin danced in the coals. Sire, it was dancing right in the flames! My heart nearly stopped at the sight of it!"

The third woman wrung her hands in her skirts. "There was a sorcerer in the square. Toads jumped right from his mouth. They were about as big as a fist!" She confessed.

"The sorcerer laughs in your face." Aredian exclaims. "Even after all the good work you have done, magic continues to flourish in Camelot."

Uther leans back in his throne. The king was stunned. "I can barely believe it."

Aredian nods sympathetically. "Yet it is true, my lord. Fortunately I have used every resource and facet at my disposal to come to a quick resolution."

The sorceress narrowed her eyes. She didn't like the way this was going.

The king eyebrows rose in surprise. "You know who the sorcerer is?"

Aredian smirked. "Of course I do, sire. I deeply regret to say that they stand in this very room. The facts are irrefutable! My methods are infallible! Everything points to one single person!" He whipped around, pointing a finger at the warlock. "Merlin!"

Arthur shook his head. "Merlin? You can't be serious, Aredian," he commented.

The Witchfinder's beady eyes gleamed happily. "I am entirely serious, Prince Arthur."

"This is outrageous!" Gaius cried out. "You have no evidence! Merlin is not the sorcerer!"

"The tools of magic cannot be hidden from me." Aredian said with a reassuring tone. "I'm certain that a thorough search of the boy's chambers will deliver all the evidence we need."

Uther turned to the warlock with a questioning look. Merlin shrugged. "I have nothing to hide from."

The king nodded. "Very well. Guards, restrain the boy. Let the search begin."

Several guards escorted a willing Merlin out of the room. Aredian didn't even attempt to hide his smirk. Kali's gut twisted. That was a smirk of a confident man. An enemy's confidence should always be regarded with caution. Merlin was in more trouble than they originally thought.

0o0o0o0o0o0

A guard smashed a jar on the hard floor. Kali flinched at the waste of herbs.

"Aredian," she called out with fake calmness, "can you please not destroy every jar of herbs we have. It'll take weeks to replace all the herbs you have already rendered useless."

He glowered at her. "Finding sorcery trumps your silly herbs."

She grit her teeth. Her magic thumped with fury, sending a shock-wave of pain through her arm. "Those silly herbs keep people from dying," she spat.

Gaius placed a placating hand on her shoulder. His eyebrow twitched with masked irritation. "All we ask is for you to have more care. This is my life's work, after all."

Aredian ignored the two. He commanded the men to search the room from top to bottom. The most Gaius was worried about was the men messing with his things. He was confident that Aredian would find nothing. Kali wasn't so sure. Aredian moved around the room with such sureness. Too much sureness for a man taking a risk of accusing an important servant of the prince. If he didn't find anything, Uther's confidence in him would drastically decrease

Arthur crossed his arms over his chest. He sighed noisily. "There's nothing here to find, Aredian."

The older man shook his head. "Let me be the judge of that, Prince Arthur." He pointed towards one of the men. "Look behind that tapestry. Be sure to look for hollow legs in the stools. And someone please check those powder jars."

Sir Leon broke open the jar of powder. A small amulet fell to the ground. The knight's face contorted into shock. "Here!" Sir Leon held up the evidence of sorcery.

Aredian hustled over. He took the amulet between his fingers, turning it careful. "An amulet of enchantment," he informed. "Gaius, were you aware that your ward keeps instruments of sorcery?"

"This is insanity." Kali mumbled under her breath.

Gaius stood silently for several moments. "No." He answered finally.

The Witchfinder stood proudly, quite pleased with himself. "Our work is done here. I must inform the king that I have caught the sorcerer." His eyes flickered over to Kali for a millisecond. It was long enough to set her on edge.

"Aredian!" The physician cried out just as the Witchfinder moved to leave. Gaius gulped. "I know for a fact that the amulet does not belong to Merlin."

His eyebrows rose in surprise. "Oh? Well then I hope you know who it does belong to."

Kali stepped away from the physician, clearly knowing what was happening. She had to distance herself or she might become even more of a suspect in Aredian's eyes.

Gaius took in a deep breath. "It belongs to me."

Aredian smirked. "Guards, seize him!" He commanded.

The men obeyed. They grabbed Gaius roughly by the arms and started to drag him out of the room.

Screw distancing herself. She wasn't going to idly stand by as this happened. She was going to act.

"He's the physician, Aredian. You cannot arrest him," Kali reasoned.

"Even those high up in Camelot can be guilty of sorcery. Never forget that," he replied.

Kali blocked the door with her body. Arthur wasn't going to be any help. He merely stood with a shell-shocked face. If he believed that Gaius was the sorcerer, then she was ready to correct him.

Her hands fell to her hips. "What if someone falls ill? Like the king?" The Witchfinder only tilted his head curiously, as if she was an animal to study. The sorceress nearly growled in irritation. "He's only one who can help. Camelot needs him."

Sir Leon's eyebrows drew together. "But aren't you his assistant?"

"Yes." She answered curtly.

"Then you would take his place during this time, right?" While Sir Leon meant to be helpful, he was anything but at that moment.

Aredian smirked widely. "You are right, Sir Leon. Now move or I will have you thrown in the cells with your physician."

Kali reluctantly moved. Something was wrong with this whole situation, and she was determined to find out.

0o0o0o0o0o0

She vigorously scrubbed the floor with the brush until her hands and knees stung. After several hours of work, the physicians chambers were still not clean. Kali and Merlin had been working tirelessly; even Gwen helped for a while. Broken glass still scattered the floor, powder and herbs dug themselves into the nooks of the stone, and only a fourth of the papers was reorganized.

Cleaning the room gave Kali plenty of time to think. If she thought hard enough, all this trouble was linked back to her. She was the one who gave Merlin the idea to use his magic on smoke to gain control. Now, Gaius was in jail with Aredian doing unknown things to him.

The sorceress hated that man with a deep loathing. He had no right to go after Merlin and Gaius. The way Aredian acted was as if he was on the top of the world. Who did he think he was? The king? Kali would sooner slit her throat than obey any of Aredian's orders. It wasn't just his superiority complex that bothered her. More than once she caught a glimpse of a carefully concealed sadistic side of him. Kali was worried about Gaius being under the man's control. The worry clawed throughout her body, reminding her of the time when her family was almost executed by Uther.

A sharp rap of knuckles on a door broke her out of her thoughts. Arthur stood by the doorway, looking anywhere but her face.

"Where's Merlin?" He asked, eyes roving over the room.

She wiped her hands on her apron. "Gone to get another bucket of water. What are you doing here, Arthur?"

Arthur closed the door behind him. He leaned against the table. "I just had to ask and make sure—"

"Gaius isn't a sorcerer," Kali corrected quickly.

The prince's eyes narrowed into a glare. "So it was your amulet! How could you just let—"

"It's not my amulet either!" She cried out. Kali stood up, almost knocking over a neat stack of books.

Arthur took a step towards her in an attempt to intimidate her. Kali held her ground. She had faced scarier men than him before.

"How can I trust your word?" He asked. "Like you said, I don't trust you and you don't trust me."

Kali drew back into herself, fighting to find the right words to say. She had to make him understand. "I don't trust easily," she explained. "I meant those words. There's no possible way for me to completely trust you. But just because I don't trust you now doesn't mean that I won't. Maybe in time I'll be able to blindly follow you everywhere you go, but I can't now. I know I'm asking a lot from you, but I need you to give more trust than I'm giving you."

She searched his face with anxious eyes. Within seconds he crumbled under her words.

He pursed his lips. "I apologize for being so..."

She shook her head. "You don't need to apologize."

The gears turned in both of their heads. "So," Arthur started cautiously, "if the amulet isn't Merlin's, Gaius's, or yours... then whose is it?"

Kali had a theory, but it wouldn't be wise to share it without a proper amount of evidence. Afterall, if she was wrong, it could destroy the man's life if her theory was taken to heart. Plus, there were too many holes where things didn't make sense. Before she told Arthur anything, she had to know the whole story.

"Many things could've happened. It could have just been relic that Gaius forgot to get rid of, or it was placed there by someone."

"You think that someone tried to frame Gaius?"

She shook her head. "No, Merlin."

Arthur frowned so deep his face threatened to split in half. "But Merlin is just a servant. What would anyone want with him?"

Kali moved to lean against the table next to Arthur. Their arms brushed against each other, sending a both of their hearts into states of flurry. "He's not just any servant." She told him. "He is _the prince's_ servant. Someone could have wanted to get Merlin out of the way to plant their own person in his place to get close to you. Or they might just have something against him. Gaius is only a victim who tried to protect Merlin. I doubt any of this involves him."

Merlin jerked the door open. The two leapt apart. He held up a bucket. "Did Arthur come here to help us clean?" He teased.

Arthur scowled. "Goodbye, Kali. I'll be sure to keep my eyes open." The prince walked out of the door.

Merlin raised an eyebrow. "So... what did you two talk about?"

0o0o0o0o0o0

A whole day passed with no word of Gaius. As far as anyone knew, Gaius was still being interrogated by Aredian. She paused, hearing voices down the hallway.

"—if you would please follow me down to my chambers, Lady Morgana." Aredian motioned her forward with her hand. Morgana was hesitant but she walked forward.

"Lady Morgana?" Kali called out. Aredian and Morgana whipped around in surprise. The sorceress scanned the noblewoman's face for any sign of discomfort, which wasn't hard since she was oozing with it. "Are you alright, my lady?"

Morgana grimaced. "Yes..."

"Kali, my lady."

"Yes, Kali, I am quite fine."

Kali frowned. "He isn't threatening to hurt you, is he?"

Aredian's mouth fell open in shock. "I... I would never!" He sputtered.

She crossed her arms over her chest and straightened her shoulder. "It's just that it's quite improper to invite a lady back to your chambers without a third party present. I'm concerned that Lady Morgana is in trouble."

Morgana shook her head. "Thank you for looking out for me, but it's quite fine. There's not many other places where we can talk about such delicate matters."

Kali hesitated. "If you're sure, then I will leave you to alone." With a heavy heart, she walked away. At least she could say that she tried to help.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Kali's heart broke for him. The magic inside of her only churned angrily at the sight of Gaius being treated so roughly, which in turn set the inside of her arm on fire. Aredian carelessly pushed Gaius to the stone floor.

"Confess!" He bellowed. "Confess it!"

She closed her eyes, unable to watch the broken man in front of her. That was the face of a man out of options, all except the last choice. He was going to confess; she knew it.

Gaius stared intently at the ground. "I... I am the sorcerer, sire." Merlin's face was full of shock, along with the rest of the courtiers. "I was the one who conjured the goblin... the faces in the well... all of it was me. I am guilty of practicing magic in Camelot."

Uther leaned back in his throne. He pinched the bridge of his nose, breathing in deeply. "You've betrayed me, Gaius. You've betrayed your friends. And most of all, you've betrayed yourself." The king forced himself to stare the physician in the eyes. "By the laws of Camelot, I must sentence you to death."

Aredian smoothed out any sign of deception on his wearing face. "The sorcerer will be purged of his magic by means of fire! He shall be burnt at the stake at dawn!" He opened his arms wide. "Bear witness and heed this lesson!"

Merlin's hands curled into a fist. "You're a liar!" He shouted. The warlock stormed up to him. Kali rushed to get ahead of the man on a mission. Arthur was quicker than both of them. The prince grabbed his servant by the shoulders. "You're nothing but a liar!" Merlin shouted again over the prince's body.

Arthur turned to his father. "I'll handle this."

He pulled Merlin from the room, Kali following silently. The warlock continued to slew insult after insult against Aredian, all of which Kali full-heartedly agreed with. After several moments of walking with an uncooperative Merlin, she realized they were headed towards the dungeons. The nice castle interior shifted to the cold dungeon. It looked much different at that moment than when she was first arrested. She supposed that was a good thing.

Arthur released the warlock, who immediately swung a fist towards the prince's face. Kali fought the urge to sigh in exasperation. Her eyes flashed a bright gold. Merlin's fist slid two feet to the right, nearly knocking him off of his feet.

"Kali!" Arthur exclaimed. "I was handling it!"

She only shrugged.

Merlin moved back to his feet. "So what? Are you throwing me in jail now? Last I remember speaking my mind isn't a crime. He's a liar!"

Arthur held his hands out in front of him in case his servant tried anything else, though Kali doubted it would be much of a fight. Arthur was bigger than Merlin, afterall. "Merlin, I know you're angry and that's alright. I'm not throwing you in jail."

Merlin tilted his head. "Then what are you doing?"

The prince sighed softly. "Breaking the law." He walked over to Gaius's cell. "I can only give you two a couple of minutes."

Merlin rushed into Gaius's cell. Kali felt like she was intruding, so she walked to the other hallway with Arthur. The mutterings of their conversation were too low to catch, which was a good thing. She would not feel right hearing what may be their last conversation.

Arthur swung the keys around one of his fingers. "You can always go in to talk to him too."

She shook her head. "Gaius and I aren't close like he is with Merlin. It wouldn't feel right." He nodded with understanding. "That was very kind of you to do."

His lips almost curled into a smile at her words. "I did what anyone would have done."

"Merlin won't forget it," she told him. "Did you see his face? This means a lot to him."

"I like to think he would do the same for me."

Kali looked up at the handsome prince. "I'm sure he would."

0o0o0o0o0o0

She gazed sadly out the window. Men were building up the pyre, much like they had done with her family. Her heart tore in half at the sight.

"Such a shame to see such a respectable man leave this way, isn't it?"

Her grimace stayed perfectly concealed behind a mask of calmness. "It is. But as one of my sisters used to say, the good always die with a knife in their back while the evil die of old age." Aredian placed a hand on her waist. Kali squirmed with disgust. Without any hesitation, she jerked away from him. Kali held out a finger. "It is improper to touch an unmarried woman, Aredian."

The Witchfinder smiled apologetically. "My apologies, Kali. I did not mean to offend you."

"I doubt you did." Kali moved away. "Now if you excuse me, I have a physicians quarters to clean. It's still filthy from your search the other day."

Her stomach churned until he was out of sight. Just as she said, she went back to the physicians quarters. What she told him wasn't a complete lie. The books still had to be reorganized and she had to go into the market to buy more glass jars.

Merlin sat at the table. He spun his spoon lazily in his soup. Kali grabbed a bowl of her own and sat in front of him.

"Not hungry?"

"I am, but I can't eat." Merlin corrected. He set his spoon down.

The sorceress's mouth curled into a frown. "It's not your fault."

"Isn't it, though? I was the one who—" Merlin paused. He tilted his head. "_What is sticking out of your dress_?" He exclaimed.

Kali followed his eyes to the edge of her bodice. There was small lump in her loose-fitting bodice. She never would have noticed if Merlin hadn't said anything. She pulled out the hard metal object. It was an amulet. Both their eyes grew wide.

"It had to be Aredian!" She snarled. "When he _touched_ me he must have planted the amulet."

Merlin snatched the amulet in his hands. "This means that he has to be the one who put the amulet in the jar before. He's framing people!" He shook his head with disgust. The warlock hid the amulet under a pile of ashes in the fireplace. He casted a worrying look towards the sorceress. "I bet he's going to try to frame you next."

"Let him try."

Only a couple of seconds later, several guards stormed into the room. They dragged Kali to the throne room for what she assumed to be another accusation. She mentally steeled herself despite knowing that Aredian had no evidence to be found. Unless they found the rune still nestled in the front of her dress, but nobody was going to look there without her putting up a fight.

She held her head high. This wasn't the first time she was brought before the king for witchcraft, and she had a feeling it wouldn't be the last. For a second she worried Uther would recognize her as one of the Solargarde women, but she reminded herself that she looked too different. There was no way. Even Morgana, who looked at her with such hope the first night she was imprisoned, saw her as a stranger. Kali was safe.

The courtiers fell silent. This was a scandal: the physician was arrested for sorcery and both of his assistants were accused. Arthur tried to send her a smile but it looked more like a grimace. Aredian, on the other hand, smirked with such pride. Oh how she wanted to smash his face in with a rock.

"As you can see, sire, not only is your physician a sorcerer, but also one of his assistants!" Aredian proclaimed. "I suggest a full investigation of your trusted officials, my king. That is the only way to ensure this disease hasn't spread any further."

Uther regarded his words for a moment. "If she is found to be a sorcerer, then I fully agree." The king scanned the woman. "You said that she keeps magical items on her?"

Aredian nodded with confidence. "Yes, sire. In fact, she has a magical object on her at this moment. A thorough search of her clothing will prove that."

Kali tilted her head. "I have no magical objects, sire. But even if I did, do you intend to undress me in the middle of your throne room?" Arthur's cheeks turned slightly red at her statement.

Uther looked over at Aredian with shock. "I hope that wasn't what you had in mind."

The Witchfinder shook his head. "Of course not. Perhaps a maidservant can search her in a closed room to keep her dignity. But a guard would have to be in the same room in case she attempts to escape or harm anyone."

That was the last straw. If anyone was going to undress her, it would be her on her own terms.

"You're a filthy, lying old man," she promulgated. Just as she intended, all attention focused on her. "If I have to lose my dignity to prove you're just that, then fine! That's a small price for everyone seeing you for what you are."

Kali untied the laces of the bodice. It fell to the floor. Aredian's face fell when the amulet was nowhere to be seen, but she didn't stop there. Her fingers fumbled with the back of her dress. Arthur, Merlin, and the knights looked away with red faces. Uther's face was a mix of embarrassment and rage.

"Stop!" Uther held out his hands. "Surely your willingness to... prove your innocence proves just that. The kingdom of Camelot apologizes the doubt in your loyalty."

"But sire—"

"I will not have a woman disrobe in my throne room, Aredian! If you want a more thorough search, then I suggest you ask her, but we are done here."

For once she was glad that Uther was there.

0o0o0o0o0o0

After Merlin's late-night adventure into the Witchfinder's room, Gwen, Kali, and Merlin dived into the depths of Gaius's books. Through that time, Kali discovered that she liked Gwen. While she did spend a lot of time worrying about Morgana, Gwen was very helpful. She looked thoroughly through her own pile of books, just as Kali and Merlin did. Kali kept further from the two, as it was her job to look for more magical reasons for the flower Merlin discovered. It wouldn't be good for Gwen to see any evidence of magic after all the accusations thrown around.

Gwen slammed closed a book. "This is hopeless," she proclaimed.

Merlin ran a hand through his hair. "We have to keep going. For Gaius."

Her mouth curved into a frown. "We don't even know if this flower means anything."

"Nobody locks up flowers when they mean nothing," Kali replied over the edge of the book.

The maidservant considered Kali's words, but continued to give Aredian the benefit of the doubt. Until they found out what the flowers were for, she wasn't going to point fingers.

They spent several more minutes searching through the books. By the end, all three of them felt like they read through every type of flower known to man. It wasn't until Merlin gasped that they had their first lead.

"Here it is!" Merlin pointed towards the page with the picture of a flower. Kali peered over his shoulder, reading the words. "Belladonna. Kali, have you ever heard of it?"

She shook her head. "I might have, but it isn't a memorable flower."

Gwen pointed towards a line of writing. "'Used to treat ulcers, allergies, and muscular inflammation'. Merlin, this proves nothing," she said.

The warlock's eyes widened. He gestured to a line further down the page. "But look here. 'Under certain conditions, a tincture of the flower can produce hallucinations."

Kali smirked. Aredian was a better con man than witch hunter. "Perfect. Now all we need is to show Uther and Aredian will be locked in the dungeons instead of Gaius."

"Wait," Gwen exclaimed, "I don't understand what this means."

Merlin closed the book. "This means that Aredian's witnesses were having hallucinations, not seeing acts of magic," he explained.

The woman's eyes grew wide with astonishment. "That's horrible that Uther trusts him so much when he has been played as a fool this entire time! But how do we prove that he's faking evidence?"

Kali frowned. The sorceress tapped her fingers on the wooden table. The gears in her mind worked as fast as possible. "We need to look for similarities, a pattern. Once we find that, the rest will fall into place. Hopefully."

"Well, they're all women," Gwen suggested.

Merlin shook her head. "That doesn't tell us anything, though. It has to be something deeper."

"No, it tells us everything we need to know," she defended. "What do women like to buy for themselves?"

Realization dawned on his face. "Things that make them look pretty."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Merlin and Gwen left for the apothecary while Kali kept an eye on Aredian. While she didn't see him around the castle, she sat outside in the courtyard, just in case he came by. If he did pass her, she had several pre-made excuses such as Uther requesting him in the throne room or another accusation of magic on the other side of town.

Kali twirled the knife in her hand. Mothers gave her cautious looks. The knife kept people from getting too close to her. Good.

Arthur hopped off his horse. A servant steered it towards the stables without the prince having to ask. His eyes landed on her who waved hello with the knife in her hand.

"It's a nice day," he commented.

"It is." Kali turned so the pyre wasn't in her line of vision. "How was your ride?"

The prince sat next to her. He took the knife from her hands. "It was fine." Arthur turned the weapon over, getting a feel for it.

"You're holding it wrong."

He raised an eyebrow. "_I am not_."

"You are," she insisted.

Arthur scoffed at her. "I have trained with weapons since I was a boy so I know how to properly hold a knife."

Her hands reached out for her knife. She repositioned his fingers to fit the grip. The tips of her fingers still burned when she pulled away. "You were holding it like a sword. This is a knife. Completely different."

He shrugged. "Not that much different. A knife is shorter. That's it." Arthur handed her knife back.

Kali took great offense to that. Her nose wrinkled in disgust. "_Not that different_?" She repeated incredulously. "A sword is wielded by barbarians while knives are used for sophisticated users."

Arthur openly laughed. "Barbarians?"

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Merlin and Gwen walking back to the castle. Kali moved to stand up. "You heard me." She straightened her dress. "Now if you excuse me, I have other matters to attend to."

0o0o0o0o0o0

She scratched out the last few letters. Merlin peered over her shoulder. He watch in fascination as she wrote, then rewrote the spell.

Kali paused. "This is it," she announced. She handed Merlin the spell that would make a frog hop from Aredian's throat. The last few hours were spent writing a spell to get the exact result they wanted. There wasn't a spell pre-made for their specific situation, so Kali had the privilege to write her own.

Merlin shook his head. "I don't understand how you just combined spells to make a completely different one."

She shrugged. "That's how new spells are created. Did you really think that all the possible spells out there are already written?"

He hesitated. "Well, no. I suppose I didn't." Merlin stored the piece of parchment away for safe keeping. "How sure are you that this is going to work?"

"Mostly sure."

"_Mostly sure?_" He repeated worriedly.

Kali smiled. "I'm certain that it will do _something_. Whether that something is what we intended for it to do... well, we'll just have to see."

Merlin stood up from the bench. "If this is as good as I'm going to get, then I best be going."

She glared at him for his lack of faith in her abilities. Spell-writing was a very complicated and tedious process. It was hard to do accurately without testing it on someone first, and they didn't have that luxury. She would not be surprised if the spell turned out to be a dud despite the amount of time she spent on it.

"Be safe."

Merlin grinned. "I always am."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Gwen and Kali nervously paced around the physician's chambers.

"Check one more time," Gwen waved her hand towards the door. She paced the length of the room again.

Kali looked down the hallway outside of the chambers for the hundredth time. She perked up at the sight of the familiar dark hair and scarf.

Merlin rushed into the room. The two women crowded around him anxiously. "Everything's set," he told them.

Gwen shook her head. "But it's too late! They already took Gaius."

Kali tapped her foot in thought. "We have to delay the execution." The sorceress pulled out the hidden knife in her bodice.

Both Gwen and Merlin's eyes grew wide. "What are you going to do? Stab everyone?" Merlin exclaimed.

Kali tilted her head. That wasn't too bad of an idea. Perhaps with the right potion to mask her identity and stabbing the right people in non-lethal locations was exactly what they needed.

The maidservant, who thought so highly of Kali, stared at her in shock. "Are you actually considering that?" She cried out.

Kali carelessly tossed her knife on the table. "It's an option," she insisted. "We don't seem to have a lot of them right now."

"I'll talk to Arthur." Merlin said. "I'll convince him to delay it."

"No, leave Arthur to me. I'll convince him." Kali said. "Where is he?"

"Probably already down by the pyre."

Kali wasted no seconds. She broke into an un-ladylike run through the corridors. Servants carrying wide loads of laundry glared at her when she almost knocked them backwards. She passed several windows that faced out to the courtyard. A large crowd was already formed, waiting to see Gaius's death. This only made her run faster. Kali raised her dress so high that she almost heard her aunt's voice scolding her. She silently cursed all dresses for making it so hard to run.

She burst out into the courtyard. It wasn't hard to find Arthur standing by the large cage. Kali violently pushed past people with no regrets. Some elbowed her back. There was bound to be bruises in the morning, but she hardly noticed.

"Arthur!" The prince didn't hear. "ARTHUR!" He turned his head at his name. His eyes locked with Kali's. She finally reached the prince. Arthur raised an expecting eyebrow. "You have to stop this right now," she commanded.

"I can't—"

"You can and you will! Merlin has evidence that proves Gaius's innocence."

Arthur sighed. "My father already passed the sentence. I can't do anything."

Then she did something the could have gotten her executed right alongside Gaius. Kali slapped Arthur. Her hand print turned bright red, almost as red as the rising anger in the prince. Kali held her ground, just like she was taught to do.

"I thought you were a good man," she spat. "Obviously I was wrong if you're willing to stand here and watch an innocent man die! Merlin can prove it! Yet here you are ready to let Gaius burn for nothing." She shook her head. Her heart crumbled inside herself. "You've disappointed me."

The tears threatened to come, but she refused to release them. Just in case any broke through her tough barriers, Kali pushed back the way she came. There was no way she was going to watch Gaius die. He was a friend. And she would not watch her friend burn.

If he didn't act, she would. Kali mentally made escape routes she and Gaius to take. The only choice was to stop the flames and take Gaius with her. Maybe she could return and convince Merlin to come with her. Surely he did not want to stay in a place where people of magic were persecuted so ruthlessly.

"Aredian, wait!" Arthur yelled over the chants of the crowd.

Kali paused. A relieved giggle passed through her lips.

Thank the gods he actually listened to her.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Merlin did a wonderful job defended Gaius. He laid out all the facts for the king. Even a child would have seen Gaius's innocence. Merlin brought the Apothecary and the three witnesses before the king. He didn't falter once under Uther's stern gaze.

He bowed his head. "Sire, the witnesses only saw hallucinations induced the Belladonna in these eye drops."

Uther regarded the three witnesses. "And you all bought the eye drops from this man?" He gestured towards the nervous apothecary. They nodded in agreement. The king turned towards the man. "Where did you get these drops? Do not have fear for no harm will come to you here."

"The Witchfinder, sire," he answered. "He gave them to me."

"Did he tell you what they were for?"

The apothecary shook his head. "No, only that if I didn't then he would burn me at the stake."

Aredian shifted nervously in his spot. Kali hid a smirk behind her hand. Finally he was getting what he deserved. She would not be sorry to see the man go.

Uther motioned to the Witchfinder. "How do you answer to these accusations, Aredian?"

He stepped forward, his face now the epitome of relaxed. "They're absurd, my king. The only reason I can think of for these accusations is that the boy wishes to free his master and is willing to do anything. Even accuse an innocent man."

The only thing keeping her from jumping in and joining Merlin's side was Gwen's hand on her wrist. "Innocent my ass," Kali muttered. A shadow of a smile flickered on Gwen's lips, but she had been a servant of Morgana long enough to know how to properly hide a smile during court.

Merlin grinned. "Then I suppose you won't mind if we search your quarters, considering that you think of yourself as an innocent man."

Arthur immediately came to his aid just as soon as Uther opened his mouth to reprimand Merlin for speaking out of turn. "Yes, father, why don't we? Let's settle this once and for all." Uther nodded. He looked at Aredian for permission.

The man only stood still. "I have nothing to hide."

Within a matter of minutes, guards were tossing aside Aredian's things. It gave her a great source of pleasure to see his room in such a state of unrest. Merlin had more difficulty hiding his glee with the change of situation. Of course, Aredian would be in the dungeons so he wouldn't have to clean the entire room from top to bottom. Despite that, they were quite happy.

Arthur caught her eye. They looked at each other for several seconds before turning away. He redeemed himself in her book. Arthur ended up doing the right thing, just as she hoped he would. He was just as good of a man as she originally thought.

Aredian crossed his arms over his chest. "You won't find anything," he called out to the guards searching his room.

Arthur ignored him. He pointed towards the cabinet against the wall. "Check that cabinet."

A guard yanked open the doors. To everyone's surprise, a dozen amulets and vials of Belladonna tumble to the floor. Eyes snapped to the Witchfinder who was backing away slowly.

"Those things are—" He coughed. "They aren't mine! This is a trick—" Another cough. "That boy plotted against me! He—" Aredian coughed again. This time, though, a large toad plopped out of his mouth.

Uther's eyes bugged out of his head. "Sorcerer! Seize him!"

Aredian acted quickly. He pulled out a knife and pulled it to Morgana's neck. She yelped in surprise but stilled at the feel of the sharp metal against the thin skin of her neck.

"Think about what you're doing, Aredian," Uther said. "You won't leave Camelot alive."

The Witchfinder pressed the metal enough into her skin to make a mark. "I will if you value your ward's life," he threatened.

Kali was just about to act but Merlin was quicker. "_Forbærnan_."

Aredian's knife heated up so quickly that it almost glowed. He dropped the knife instantly. Morgana pushed away from the man. She hurried to safety on the other side of the room. The guards advanced on the Witchfinder. He backed away sharply. That was his fatal mistake. A poorly placed box and some broken glass, Aredian laid dead underneath the window of his chambers.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Kali dug into her dinner. Merlin picked at it like a bird. Gaius ate more like a nobleman than anything. For some reason it was amusing to her how different their eating styles were. They were so different yet they came together, almost like her family.

She froze, fork midway to her mouth. Could she call the Solargarde her family anymore? Kali was beginning to think of all of Gaius, Merlin, and Arthur as her family, and she could not have two families. Ratka once told her that families were chosen. And to be honest, she didn't want to choose one family over the other. Kali knew the time to choose where her loyalties lied was growing nearer and nearer, and that terrified her.

Gaius placed his fork down. He looked between the two younger people. "You know, I still have difficulty understanding how you knew he had concealed evidence in his chambers."

"Just a hunch, really," Merlin replied with a shrug. Kali hid her smile behind a veil of hair.

Gaius nodded. "I see," he murmured. "What about the toad?"

Merlin froze. He looked at Kali for help, but she offered none. He was on his own. "Well... that... that's harder to explain."

"That is quite hard to explain. Unless you were the one who put it there."

The warlock pointed towards Kali. "Don't look at me! She was the one who allowed it to happen."

Her eyebrow rose in surprise. "_Allowed it_? Do I look like your mother? You don't have to have my permission to do illegal things!"

"You're the one who wrote the spell," he reminded her.

"You're the one who said the spell."

Gaius chuckled. "You two are acting worse than children." He gave each of them a warning glance. "But the toad was a bit too far, no matter whose fault it was."

Kali stifled a laugh. "You really should've been there to see the look on his face."

They all laughed together at the thought.

They all laughed together as a family.


	20. Chapter 20: The Sins of the Father 1

**Super sorry for the long wait! I have been busy with my ACT test and some upcoming AP tests. I've also had a bad case of writer's block which doesn't help. I am really excited to finish writing this episode because this is where Kali's presence starts changing things up. I guess this makes my story slightly AU haha.**

**This update feels kind of rushed and short, but I had to write something!**

**Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967: I'm glad you do!**

**lilnightmare 17: I promise that there is more to come!**

**hateme101: haha I loved writing that scene.**

**Latiosus: Thank you so much!**

**belladu57: Thank you!**

* * *

Kali was attacked.

That was the only way the sorceress could accurately describe it. What else could she call Gwen jumping from the shadows and forcing her into bonding time? The servant barely gave Kali time to speak before dragging her into the physician's quarters. Ever since Aredian's fall from the window, Gwen and Kali had been finding themselves spending their afternoons off together. While she preferred to watch the knights spar each other deep into the day, she appreciated the woman's presence. It was the companionship of a fellow woman that Kali missed the most, and Gwen helped fill the hole in her heart.

Gwen twisted the locks of Kali's hair into a neat braid. The servant tilted her head in thought. "You don't speak about yourself very much," Gwen commented.

"No, I don't."

Her friend paused, hoping that Kali would offer anything about herself. Kali had no intention of saying a thing. The less Gwen knew, the safer Kali would be. As selfish as it was, she put herself first in this situation. She and Gwen were not close enough for Kali to drop all her secrets on her.

"Tell me something, then," Gwen insisted with a smile. "What's your family like? Do you have any siblings? What are your hobbies?"

Kali laughed. "Why do you want to know things about me? I don't ask you things like this."

Her fingers paused in the sorceress's hair. "We're friends, aren't we? And friends should at least know some things about each other."

Kali's face stiffened with surprise. Friends? That was a word she rarely used, especially when describing someone other than her sisters. There was a companionable bond between the two. She supposed that friends was the right word to describe it.

"I have no parents," Kali told Gwen. "But I have many sisters. They're all wonderful."

Gwen's face lit up at Kali sharing something about herself for once. "Are they in Camelot too? I don't believe I've met them."

She stared at the floor, thinking of a reasonable lie. "No, they aren't. I'm only here to work for Gaius."

Her friend finished creating what she believed to be the perfect braid. Gwen sat on the bench next to Kali. As if on cue, Merlin walked into the room while scratching the back of his head.

"Did you two hear?" he asked. Gwen and Kali shook their heads. They had been in the same room for hours so of course they had not heard. "Arthur was challenged to a duel."

Gwen wrinkled her nose. "He's always challenged to duels, Merlin."

Merlin shook his head. "No, a _woman_ challenged him."

Kali smirked. "Good. Maybe his ego will shrink if he's beaten. A woman is just as good as a man with a sword, you know." She placed her hands calmly in her lap. "What is her name?"

"Morgause, and it's to the death."

The sorceress's grin fell. Her eyes widened with shock. "Gwen, can Merlin and I talk alone?"

Gwen glanced between the two. "Is everything—"

"Gwen," Kali commanded through her teeth. "Merlin and I need to speak alone." An unreadable emotion flashed over Gwen's face, but she left the room nonetheless.

The sorceress clutched the edge of the table to root herself in place. Morgause. It was impossible for Morgause to track Kali to Camelot. She knew that for sure. But maybe someone tipped her off. While someone recognizing her was unlikely, it was still a possibility.

Kali sucked in a calming breath. "You said that Morgause challenged Arthur to a duel?"

Merlin nodded. "Yeah, she did. Is everything—"

"No, it's not okay," she interrupted hastily. "She's the one that I stole the tiara from."

His face morphed from confusion to caution. Merlin locked his knees in place to keep himself from pacing. "I knew her name sounded familiar," Merlin muttered, ashamed that she had not recognized her. He frowned. "She's going to hurt him, isn't she?"

Kali nodded.

"What are we going to do?"

Several options ran through her mind. They could kill Morgause and stop the problem before it got worse, but the consequences were easy to imagine: the Solargarde coming back to look for her, searches for murderers, or being caught during the act. Another one was to tell Uther that Morgause was a sorceress, but Kali did not want another Witchfinder incident.

"We have to make sure Arthur doesn't fight. That's the best option."

Merlin full-heartidly agreed. He promised to speak with the prince before he went to bed. Maybe, just maybe, he would be able to sway Arthur's stubborn mind.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Merlin fluffed Arthur's pillows. He didn't need to scry to know how this conversation would go.

"I wonder why she challenged you," he commented as casually as possible.

The prince shrugged. "I am the king's son. Perhaps she wants to prove herself."

The servant paused with his work. Merlin faced Arthur. "Yeah, I suppose. But, you really don't want to fight her, do you?"

Arthur eyed his servant curiously._ What was Merlin up to this time?_ "I have no choice, Merlin. If I refuse to fight her, I will be labeled as a coward. If I do and kill her, what does that make me?"

"Then don't fight her," he suggested. Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Have her pull out of the duel."

He almost argued with his servant, but Arthur saw that Merlin had a good suggestion. His honor would stay intact and both sword fighters would be on their merry way. "Fine. Send a message to Morgause asking her to withdraw her challenge. If I'm seen doing it, I will be viewed as a coward." Arthur stared down his servant. "You have to convince her."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Kali moved through the crowd of people with newfound vigor. Last night, Merlin told her of how Morgause refused to withdraw from the challenge. And if Morgause didn't withdraw, neither would Arthur. Him and his stupid honor. But when she thought about it, how could she expect Arthur to withdraw from the duel? He didn't know the true dangers of being in close range with Morgause. All he knew was that he had to uphold the Pendragon name in another duel.

Finally she caught sight of the familiar blonde hair. She wove in between the crowd, elbowing those who pushed against her. The sorceress only had a matter of minutes to convince Arthur to back out. Merlin's eyes flittered back and forth. His tense posture loosened when he saw Kali. Surely she would know what to do. The sorceress stormed up to the prince with determination.

"Arthur, may I speak with you?"

Arthur's eyes widened. "The duel is about to start—"

She didn't let him finish. "Don't fight her. Please don't," Kali begged.

The prince eyed her warily. "Why shouldn't I?" He looked between Merlin and Kali. "Why are you two trying so hard to make me back out of the tournament? Do you think that I will lose?"

Kali nodded. "Yes!"

She immediately regretted her rushed response. It only made him more determined.

Arthur's eyes sharpened. His lips curl into a deep frown. This was a new side of Arthur: the one who did not want to be underestimated. He looked out towards the arena. "The tournament is about to begin. Is this all you came to talk to me about?" he asked.

Kali froze. Arthur was going to die. He was going to die if she didn't do something. Options were greatly limited, especially now with Arthur staying in the tournament. The sorceress knew what she had to do, and she didn't like it one bit. Too many things could go wrong. Too many uncontrolled variables. She had to be ready for anything.

Just the thought of Arthur not walking out of the arena alive churned her stomach. The sorceress quickly pecked Arthur on the cheek. Immediately, Arthur's face sparked a light red. Her lips buzzed.

Kali picked at an imaginary piece of lint on her dress. "Fight your hardest. Someone has to be the next King of Camelot, afterall."

Before Arthur could respond, a squire ushered him to the arena where Morgause was already waiting. Kali and Merlin quickly found a spot on the side of the stands.

Merlin groaned. "I can't watch."

"If you can't watch, then at least make sure nobody is looking at me," Kali grumbled.

The warlock stared. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to guarentee that Arthur will win."

Uther rose from his seat. He warily regarded his son and Morgause. For a second Kali thought Uther looked worried, but if he was, the king covered it with a mask of indifference. While the king announces the fight, Kali gathers whatever magic she had buried inside hers. Her still healing arm burned and she did her best to block out the pain. There was no time to worry about herself.

Arthur's sword collided with Morgause's. Kali pushed her magic to give Arthur's swings more strength. His sword moved faster and more accurate than ever. Her eyes stayed a brilliant gold. Suddenly, Arthur catches Morgause by the arm. Her sword flies into the dirt. Kali and Merlin relaxed.

It was over as quickly as it had begun.

All Arthur had to do was deliver the last blow.

But it never came. Arthur stepped back. The High Priestess stumbled to her weapon. She lunged at Arthur the second her sword touched her fingers. Kali was quicker than Arthur. On instinct, a spell left her lips and Arthur's sword jut in front of him just in time. Even from far in the arena, she saw his eyebrows come together in confusion. Morgause attacked again, and this time the prince expertly dodged it. Arthur kicked her leg out from under her, sending Morgause to the ground. He brought his sword to her chest.

"I will not kill you," Arthur announced.

"Then you are a fool," Morgause quipped. "Only fools spare the lives of their opponents in duels to the death."

He tightened his grip on the sword. "Neither of us will die today. Please do not make me do something I will regret."

Morgause tilted her head in thought. Kali knew she would accept. Morgause did not seem like a woman who wanted to die. She held out her hand. Arthur took it and helped her to her feet. "You are a fool, Arthur Pendragon, but also a good man." The sorceress warmly regarded the prince.

Uther leaned back in his chair. His eyes drew back in relief. Merlin slumped back and unclenched his fists. The people of Camelot were unhappy that no blood was shed, but also relieved that their prince wasn't injured. Kali wished she felt the same way.

She would've if it wasn't for the sly smile that climbed up Morgause's face.

Things may not have gone exactly to plan, but Morgause had something else up her sleeve.


End file.
